2028 Open venue decision imminent but top Scottish courses set to miss out as long wait goes on

It is believed that an announcement by The R&A is imminent about the venue to follow Royal Birkdale, where this year’s event is being held, then St Andrews, where it will be staged for a record 31st time in 2027.

Hopes had been high among players and fans that the Claret Jug event might be making a return to Muirfield, where it was last held in 2013, when Phil Mickelson landed a popular win at the time.

Turnberry, where Stewart Cink broke Tom Watson’s heart with his triumph in the most recent of four editions in 2009, had also been mentioned as a possible venue in 2028.

More recently, it had been rumoured that Carnoustie, where Francesco Molinari became the first Italian to pick up the trophy in 2018, had been a strong possibility.

Part of the reason for that was that, due to the Olympics in Los Angeles, the 2028 edition will be staged in the first week in August - a fortnight later than normal - and an event in that part of Scotland would mean 30 minutes more daylight than south of the Border.

Lytham or St George’s are likely 2028 Open venue

It now seems, however, that The R&A has opted for an English venue instead, with Royal Lytham or Royal St George’s the likely choice for what will be the event’s 156th edition.

It had been thought that Royal Lytham, where it has not been held since a second Claret Jug win for Ernie Els in 2012, had been earmarked for 2029, which will be the 50th anniversary of Seve Ballesteros famously emerging as the ‘Car Park Champion’.

However, a return to the Lancashire venue, where the AIG Women’s Open is being held this summer, may now have been fast-tracked. Alternatively, a return to Royal St George’s, where Collin Morikawa claimed the title in 2021 after the Covid pandemic had forced that staging to be delayed by a year, could be on the cards.

Mark Darbon, The R&A’s chief executive, is due to host a press conference at Royal Birkdale on Monday morning, when the 2028 venue is expected to be announced.