The renovation at Trump Turnberry ‘so far has surpassed expectations’

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Donald Trump is otherwise engaged in his bid to win the Republican nomination for president, but renovation work continues at Trump Turnberry in Scotland, and “so far has surpassed expectations,” Martin Ebert, the course designer assigned the project, said in this story by Martin Dempster of the Scotsman. “I’ve said to Mr. Trump, ‘let’s make the course as good as we possibly can and essentially make it irresistible to the R&A.’”

“Darren Clarke often dreamed of ‘this one to win the Open’ when he practised his putting at Royal Portrush, but until recently he never dared to imagine that the Open Championship would be played at his home club in his lifetime,” Liam Kelly writes in the Belfast Telegraph. Earlier this week, it was announced that Royal Portrush was awarded the 2019 British Open, the second time ever it will have been played outside England and Scotland. The first time was in 1951 at Royal Portrush.

“Jon Rahm has simple aspirations,” Craig Morgan of Sun Devil Athletics writes in this profile of the Arizona State golfer. “‘My goal is to turn pro, win 19 majors and be considered the best golfer in history,’ the affable Sun Devils senior said. If you're going to dream, Sun Devils coach Tim Mickelson figures you might as well dream big.”

The Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas doesn’t attract a star-studded field, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of the tournament, Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Ed Graney writes. Its cause, exposing the work the Shriners do on behalf of children, is more important than the tournament itself. “I'm not sure attendance or quality of field should ever hold a significant place in the evaluation of the annual PGA Tour stop in Las Vegas,” Graney writes.