Donald Trump's course in Aberdeen confirmed as Legends Tour venue in 2023

Donald Trump’s highly-regarded course in Aberdeenshire has officially been confirmed as a venue on the 2023 Legends Tour, which was formerly called the European Senior Tour.

Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen will stage an event on the 2023 Legends Tour. Picture: Michal Wachucik/Getty Images.

Trump International Golf Links, which sits to the north of Aberdeen, will stage the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship on the over-50s’ circuit on 25-27 August.

It will be the biggest event to be held on the Martin Hawtree-designed course since its grand opening in 2012, when Trump hit the ceremonial first shot.

Trump, who also owns Turnberry, had hoped to host the Scottish Open at the Menie venue, with that possibility having been touted for 2019 before The Renaissance Club became the new home for the Rolex Series event.

The Trump course has been one of the venues for the Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-Am since its inception, but the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship will provide a much bigger spotlight.

The event was first held in 1957 and past winners include John Panton, Kel Nagle, Christy O’Connor snr, Neil Coles and Sam Torrance.

The 2022 edition, held at Formby in Lancashire, saw Brazil’s Adilson da Silva storm to a six-shot success, helping him become the Rookie of the Year.

Aberdonian Paul Lawrie, who hosted the Scottish Seniors Open at Royal Aberdeen in 2021, will be among the players aiming to land the title at Trump International Golf Links next summer.

Speaking at LIV Golf’s season-ending Team Championship at his Doral course in Miami in October, former US President Trump claimed that The R&A “wants to come back” to Turnberry, where The Open was last staged in 2009.

However, that was immediately dismissed by the St Andrews-based governing body. “There is no change to our position since the statement we made in January 2021,” said a spokeswoman.

That was in reference to Martin Slumbers, The R&A’s chief executive, saying the Claret Jug event would not return to the Ayrshire venue “until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself”.

While the Legends Tour falls under the European Tour group umbrella, its driving force through a joint-venture is entrepreneur Ryan Howsam.

In addition to Trump International Golf Links, Seaport Golf Links in Ireland will be another new venue on the 2023 schedule, which will feature at least 18 tournaments.