MacIntyre Advocates for More Open Championship Venues in Scotland

Scottish golfer Bob MacIntyre has called for more Open Championships to be staged in Scotland. Since 2016, the historic golf tournament has visited Scotland only three times: Carnoustie in 2018, St Andrews in 2022, and Royal Troon in 2024.

With St Andrews scheduled to host again in 2027, and Royal Lytham & St Annes returning in 2028, the competition for venues is intensifying. Trump Turnberry has not hosted since 2009, and its association with former U.S. President Donald Trump, coupled with infrastructure concerns, makes its prospects for future hosting unlikely. Muirfield is also reportedly making changes to improve its chances of hosting the event for the first time since 2013.

"I feel like there’s not enough Open Championships in Scotland any more," MacIntyre stated ahead of his defense of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. This tournament, which includes rounds at St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns before a final day at the Old Course, highlights the potential for Scotland to host major events. "Carnoustie, Muirfield, I’d love to see them all in it, proper championship test,” he added.

Mention was also made of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship's pro-am team element, which has become a family affair for players like brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick. Matt Fitzpatrick, arriving in Scotland after his fourth win of the year at the Open de France, discussed his position in the Race to Dubai standings and his concerns about traveling to season-ending events in the Middle East due to the war in Iran. He noted that recent assurances regarding the safety of these events have shifted his perspective, and he would be disappointed to miss them.