Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland was the victim of widespread vandalism on Friday by pro-Palestine activists, according to reports from the Associated Press and the BBC.
The damage to the resort and the golf course was extensive, as seen in photographs released by the Palestine Activist group that claimed responsibility for the act of vandalism.
The clubhouse was spray-painted with red paint, at least one green was dug up and the message “Gaza is not 4 sale” was spray-painted near another green.
In a statement reported by the AP, the PA group said that it “rejects Donald Trump’s treatment of Gaza as though it were his property to dispose of as he likes… To make that clear, we have shown him that his own property is not safe from acts of resistance.”
The resort, which is located in Ayrshire, Scotland, features two 18-hole courses and an additional 9-hole course. Turnberry’s iconic Aisla course has hosted four Open Championships and was ranked No. 18 on GOLF’s most recent ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the World.
Donald Trump’s company purchased the resort in 2014, and the resort has undergone significant renovations since then.
The course has not been awarded an Open Championship since Trump took over the resort. And there are no plans to host future Opens, based on comments from the R&A, which operates the Open.
Late last year in an interview with Golf Channel, former R&A CEO Martin Slumbers argued that the host course would be a distraction from the competition. “Major championships should focus purely on the golf course and the competitors battling upon it. We cannot allow external media noise to overshadow what remains the original and most historic championship in golf. The tournament’s integrity demands that golf alone commands the spotlight.”
The R&A’s new CEO, Mark Darbon, added a second reason Trump Turnberry is unlikely to host another Open in an interview with The Telegraph: logistics and money.
“That’s crucial for us, because through the Open, we generate most of our revenue and we use that to invest in the rest of the game all around the world. So the reality is that modern-day Open requires a venue that can support us logistically and commercially,” Darbon said.
