The British Open will return to Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2028, ending the northwest English venue's 16-year wait to host golf's oldest major again. The R&A announced the decision on Monday, marking the 12th time Royal Lytham will stage the championship, with the last being in 2012 when Ernie Els claimed the claret jug after Adam Scott's dramatic collapse.
Royal Lytham's Historic Return
For Royal Lytham, the 16-year gap between Opens is the second-longest in its history. The course first hosted in 1926, won by Bobby Jones, and then waited 26 years for its second. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon hailed the venue as "one of golf's most cherished and historic venues" and expressed excitement for the return, which will spark interest among fans worldwide.
Turnberry's Continued Exclusion
Meanwhile, Turnberry, purchased by Donald Trump in 2014, has not hosted the Open since 2009, when Tom Watson lost a playoff to Stewart Cink. The R&A has avoided the course, with former CEO Martin Slumbers stating it would not return until the focus could be on golf, not the owner. Last year, Darbon met with Eric Trump and other Trump Golf leaders, describing talks as constructive, but noted transportation and infrastructure issues remain.
Muirfield, another historic links and last host in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won, was also bypassed for 2028. The R&A has increasingly favored larger venues like St. Andrews and Royal Portrush, which drew nearly 280,000 spectators in 2025.
2028 Schedule and Future Opens
The 2028 Open at Royal Lytham will be held later than usual, from August 3-6, to avoid clashing with the Olympic golf tournament at the Los Angeles Games. The Open returns to Royal Birkdale this year and St. Andrews in 2027, which set a weekly attendance record of 290,000 in 2022.
