Full Breakdown
Royal Lytham & St Annes Named Host for the 2028 Open Championship
4/28/2026, 7:35:42 AM
Core Event: R&A Announces 2028 Venue and Dates
On 27 April 2026 the R&A confirmed that Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club will stage the 156th Open Championship from 3 to 6 August 2028. The selection ends a 16-year hiatus for the Lancashire links, which last hosted the Open in 2012 when Ernie Els won his second Claret Jug.
Background & Context: Historic Links and a Schedule Shift
Royal Lytham first hosted the Open in 1926, the year Bobby Jones claimed victory. The club has since been the venue for eleven previous Opens (the R&A counts the 2028 event as the 12th). Past champions include Jones, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros and Els. To avoid overlapping with the Los Angeles Olympic golf tournament (19-22 July 2028), the R&A moved the Open to August, a departure from its traditional mid-July slot.
Timeline of Recent Host Selections
- 2026: Royal Birkdale (16-19 July)
- 2027: Old Course, St Andrews (dates TBD)
- 2028: Royal Lytham & St Annes (3-6 August)
- 2029: venue not announced
Data & Statistics: Pedigree and Attendance
- Opens at Lytham: 11 completed, 12 including 2028.
- 2012 Open attendance: 181,000.
- 2025 Open at Royal Portrush: 278,000 spectators.
- 2026 Open at Birkdale projected > 300,000.
- Course ranking: #68 in the Golf Top 100 (Golf Week) and #48 in Golf Digest’s World’s 100.
- Lengthened from ~6,800 yd pre-2000 to ~7,100 yd in 2012.
- Lytham will also host the AIG Women’s Open (29 July-2 August 2028).
Why It Matters: Tradition, Logistics, and the Olympic Clash
Selecting Lytham underscores the R&A’s effort to balance historic venues with modern logistical capacity. The August window preserves global TV audiences and avoids the Olympic schedule. The decision also signals that courses with robust transport and accommodation infrastructure—such as Turnberry (owned by Donald Trump) and Muirfield—remain on hold due to “big logistical challenges” and, for Muirfield, recent governance issues.
Official Statements & Responses
- Mark Darbon, R&A CEO: praised Lytham’s heritage and noted the August shift to prevent an Olympic clash.
- Darbon on Turnberry: said the R&A “love[s] the golf course but we’ve got some big logistical challenges there.”
- Darbon on Muirfield: indicated “ongoing dialogue” and the need for infrastructure upgrades before reconsideration.
- Tim Walker, Chairman of Council, Lytham: expressed honour at being chosen and highlighted the centenary of Bobby Jones’s 1926 win.
Criticism & Opposition
Turnberry’s exclusion has been linked to logistical constraints and heightened political scrutiny of Donald Trump’s ownership, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly contacted about the venue. Muirfield’s continued omission follows its 2016 vote to bar women—a policy reversed in 2019—but some stakeholders argue the historic course merits earlier reinstatement.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Date discrepancy: Reuters lists the tournament as 30 July-6 August, while most R&A releases state 3-6 August.
- Host count variance: Some outlets cite 11 prior Opens at Lytham; the R&A counts 12 including the upcoming event.
- No definitive timeline exists for Turnberry or Muirfield’s return, leaving the 2029 venue undecided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely renowned as one of the world's finest links courses and has witnessed many great championship moments since The Open was first played there in 1926 when the legendary Bobby Jones won.” — Mark Darbon, R&A CEO
- “We love the golf course but we've got some big logistical challenges there.” — Mark Darbon, R&A CEO (on Turnberry)
- “It is fitting that this announcement comes as we mark 100 years since Bobby Jones’ victory here in 1926 and the granting of our Royal status.” — Tim Walker, Chairman, Royal Lytham & St Annes
- “ The R&A is moving The Open Championship back to August in 2028 to ensure its schedule does not clash with the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.” — Mark Darbon, R&A CEO
What’s Next: Future Rotations and Ongoing Dialogues
The R&A will announce the 2029 Open venue later in 2026. Discussions with Turnberry, Muirfield and other candidates such as Portmarnock continue, while Royal Lytham prepares infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the August 2028 championship and the concurrent Women’s Open.
