It begins with Mother Nature. Dunes sculpted by Atlantic winds, the rhythmic rise and fall of marram grass, and the smell of sea spray: these are the raw materials Greg Norman worked with when he dared to design Doonbeg. Under Norman’s blueprint, Doonbeg became a canvas of simmering drama, and with a post on X by his son, Norman Jr., that canvas has received some enticing news. “The 2026 Irish Open will be held at Doonbeg! And absolute beauty of a course. Designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design in 1999 and later purchased by Trump in 2014. Hole 15 (now taken by the ocean) was toughest little par 3. 103 yards on the side of hill right on the beach. When the wind was howling you would have to hit a 5iron into it.”

Even the shortest holes could feel brutal at Doonbeg. What should have been a simple wedge sometimes demanded a 5-iron when the Atlantic gales roared in. In an interview with LINKS Magazine, Greg Norman explained that the land itself provided the canvas: “natural green sites… we just identified it,” he said, adding that one pot bunker near the green acted as “a magnet effect” to test strategy. His goal was never to overpower the landscape, but to let Ireland’s rugged coastline speak through the game.

Every hole carried that philosophy. Norman described how his team “just mowed down the marram grass,” shaping the links with almost no artificial intervention. Perhaps the best example was Hole 15, a par-3 that clung to the edge of the ocean. Barely 103 yards long, set on a hillside above the beach, it looked harmless on calm days but became fearsome when the wind howled. What appeared to be a flick with a wedge could instantly turn into a bruising 5-iron.

Fast forward to 2014. Doonbeg Golf Club, the gem Norman created in 2002, had gone bust; losses mounting, operating far from sustainable. Enter Donald Trump, who acquired the property out of receivership for an estimated €15 million (roughly $15–20 million). Some reports cite a $20 million figure, others say $14–15 million. Either way, Trump called it “a steal.” Trump pledged to invest significantly: up to €45 million to transform it into a top-tier resort, complete with a five-star lodge, spa, and lavish cottages. He even envisioned a protective sea wall to preserve his beachfront course against erosion—an idea that ignited environmental opposition and was eventually scaled back or denied.

Now, the design that had long been whispered about is taking center stage. The DP World Tour has awarded Doonbeg its prestigious nod: the 2026 Amgen Irish Open will indeed be held there, September 10–13, 2026: a first for Trump’s Irish links and only the second time County Clare will host, after Lahinch in 2019.

This recognition shifts the narrative from a controversial, loss-making investment to a celebrated piece of golf architecture being showcased on a global stage. As one local report put it, “Donald Trump-owned Doonbeg resort to host Amgen Irish Open Golf Championship in 2026.” And Trump himself, during a press moment at Turnberry, hinted at the ambition: “I love Doonbeg. I’ll go… not on this trip – but I’ll go soon.”

It’s worth noting that Trump’s ownership hasn’t been without financial pains. Reports suggest significant operating losses; some analyses say $18 million loss after a $20 million purchase; others record cumulative financial struggles. Yet the course endures. Greg Norman’s design survives the tumult, the schemes, the legal battles. Now, with the DP World Tour backing Doonbeg, the focus returns where it belongs: to the land, the links, and the genius of its design.

With Doonbeg now firmly in the DP World Tour spotlight, it also raises a broader question: how does this fit into the expanding presence of Trump-branded courses on professional golf’s biggest stages?

Donald Trump’s expanding Golf empire

Donald Trump’s footprint in golf is significant, with more than 20 courses worldwide, spread across the U.S., Scotland, Ireland, and the Middle East. From the windswept dunes of Turnberry in Scotland to the famed Blue Monster at Doral in Florida, Trump has invested heavily in building a brand that merges luxury resorts with elite-level tournament golf. Each property represents both an architectural statement and a business gamble, and in recent years, many of these courses have become tied to the professional tours.

The most storied of Trump’s holdings is Turnberry, the Scottish links that has hosted four Open Championships and is etched in history for Tom Watson’s legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ with Jack Nicklaus in 1977. However, since Trump’s 2014 acquisition, The R&A has distanced itself from the venue, declaring in 2021 that Turnberry would not host an Open “for the foreseeable future” due to political complications. This marked a rare instance where politics directly influenced a venue’s championship future, despite its undeniable pedigree.

Across the Atlantic, Trump National Doral Miami remains a cornerstone of his portfolio. Once a regular PGA Tour stop, the Blue Monster now serves as a key LIV Golf venue, hosting its team championship finale. While no longer aligned with the PGA Tour, it has found new life through LIV’s global circuit, ensuring Trump’s brand stays linked with high-profile golf, even amid the sport’s fractured landscape.

Then there’s Trump International Golf Links Aberdeen, another Norman-inspired links layout that recently hosted the Nexo Championship on the DP World Tour schedule. Like Doonbeg, it exemplifies Trump’s strategy of buying or developing visually spectacular courses that demand professional attention. Together, Aberdeen and Doonbeg create a northern European axis of Trump-branded venues capable of drawing major events, despite past controversies.

The addition of Doonbeg to the Irish Open rota means that three of Trump’s courses now hold ties to elite professional tournaments, spanning both the DP World Tour and LIV Golf. Yet it reignites the debate: should politics and golf mix so closely? Critics argue that hosting events at Trump-branded courses risks politicizing a sport that values neutrality and global reach. Supporters counter that these are world-class venues, and the players, fans, and tours benefit from showcasing golf at its best locations, regardless of who owns them.