President Donald Trump has asked New York Jets co-owner Woody Johnson - now U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom - to help get the British Open contested on one of the New York Times, according to a new report from the New York Times. its resort golf courses, the Trump Turnberry. Although Johnson tried to influence the decision, nothing came of this interaction.

Donald Trump asked to help lead the British Open to his property

Trump Turnberry at the Golfissimes Travel Scotland Pro-am 2018 - © tplassais / Swing-Féminin

Johnson, co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson empire, told several colleagues in February 2018 that President Trump asked him to see if the British government could help him get the British Open to be contested on these lands. at Trump Turnberry.

The article insists that Lewis Lukens, an assistant to Johnson, has advised against any interference, saying the move would violate ethics policies. Yet Johnson did it anyway, asking Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell if he could help him.

The tournament hosting sites are decided by the R&A, and have already been locked down until 2024. The Royal St George's Golf Club will host the tournament in 2021, followed by the Old Course in St Andrews in 2022, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2023 and the Royal Troon Golf Club in 2024. These dates have all been pushed back after the cancellation of the Open Championship 2020 due to the coronavirus.

Turnberry had already hosted four Open Championships, seven Senior Open Championships, a Women's British Open and a Walker Cup before the Trump Organization bought Turnberry in April 2014 for an announced $ 63 million from Dubai-based Leisurecorp. At the time, Donald Trump, led by the president, said: “Our goal is to make this the best golf hotel in the world. "

Turnberry closed in March due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, but the golf course reopened on July 3.

In April, the Trump Organization asked for bailout funds from Ireland and Scotland to help cover the salaries of employees at its three golf resorts in Europe due to the coronavirus lockdown, according to a Bloomberg report.

According to the Times report, Mundell said it was inappropriate to go into details of his discussions with Johnson, but Lukens was apparently so concerned about the matter that he emailed State Department officials to ask. let them know.

Lukens was relieved of his duties a few months later.

Turnberry was mentioned as a possible site during the 2018 discussions, but then R&A CEO Martin Slumbers appeared to suggest that the Open Championship's quadruple course was never a viable option as a site. coming up with Donald Trump's seat in the White House.

"We have criteria to determine which courses we want to follow, and part of the decision is linked to macroeconomics", Mr Slumber said. “It is clear that part of this macroeconomics is tied to politics. "

To know more : https://www.theopen.com/