Sandy Jones, the chief executive of the PGA and one of golf’s leading administrators on the global stage, last night expressed his regret at the continued controversy surrounding the game and its links with Donald Trump.
Jones was a guest of honour at the opening of Trump’s new course in Aberdeen in 2013 but he, like the vast majority of golf’s leading figures, has moved to distance himself from the increasingly incendiary comments that the American tycoon is making on his US Presidential campaign trail.
His latest remarks concerning muslims being temporarily banned from the US has caused a sizeable uproar and Jones has lamented the fact that golf is being dragged into the mire. "Sadly his political campaign in America seems to be getting in the way of all the great things golf offers,” Jones told BBC Scotland. "The controversy is not a positive thing for golf. Donald has built some great golf courses and has two in Scotland, in Aberdeen and at Turnberry. I'd prefer to see less controversy around the game and sadly Donald is producing it through his political motive, not through his golfing ones. They are bound to be linked, there is no getting away from that."
Turnberry, which Trump bought last year, remains on the Royal & Ancient’s Open Championship rota but the chances of the game’s oldest major returning to the Ailsa Course in the foreseeable future are slim given the current furore.
"I'm sure the R&A will be managing that situation very cautiously as they need to do and try to keep golf away from the political scene,” added Jones. “An announcement to play at Turnberry would cause a huge political uproar. I'm sure they'll come to the right conclusion at the end of the day."
Paul McGinley, the former European Ryder Cup captain, added: “What would be a real shame is if Turnberry doesn't happen to be on the Open rota because it's a terrific golf course."
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