R&A's Peter Dawson: Turnberry 'is going to be fine'

Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal & Ancient, attempted to quell concerns that Turnberry would not be ready in time to host the British Open in July and to halt rumors that Royal Troon was being prepared as a replacement.

"It is going to be fine," Dawson said at his annual spring news conference. "Leisurecorp are bashing on with the hotel re-development, which is going to transform Turnberry. It's on schedule and we are looking forward to having that for The Open.

"The golf course is in great shape, too, so any rumours that The Open is going anywhere else are totally without foundation and, frankly, always have been."

Turnberry has hosted the Open on three previous occasions, the last time in 1994, when Nick Price won. The course has been lengthened by 250 yards since then.

-- John Strege