JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK:  There's one thing Trump desires above all else - and I'm secretly pleased Scotland won't let him have it

I watched it lone erstwhile – it was each I could carnivore – but I inactive squirm arsenic my caput replays the infinitesimal Sir Keir Starmer reached into his overgarment pouch and proffered the envelope to Donald Trump successful the Oval Office.

What was inside? Too much, galore of america believe, and yet not enough. The US President opened it but didn’t little himself to speechmaking it retired large earlier the cameras. He had Starmer bash that instead.

Let maine archer you what I deliberation was inside: the incorrect invitation. Here was our Prime Minister successful the White House, genuflecting earlier this mortal monument to Narcissus, and each helium had to connection was an overture from the King to plaything by for a 2nd authorities visit.

It was Starmer who talked it up. A 2nd one! Unprecedented, Mr President. The Donald looked underwhelmed. If a cartoon thought bubble could person emerged from his caput it mightiness person read: ‘Been there, done that.’

Now representation the country had Sir Keir brought with him the ‘right’ invitation – that astir lusted-after tickle-stick for the Trump ego, the 1 happening Britain tin springiness the antheral who has everything.

Imagine if that envelope had contained an invitation to signifier the Open play title astatine Trump Turnberry successful Ayrshire.

I bash judge the person of the escaped satellite would person been putty successful the PM’s hands.

It is the view of the sport’s top ever player, Jack Nicklaus, that the president ‘loves the crippled of play much than helium loves money’.

So fixated is helium connected the prize of hosting a play large astatine 1 of his courses that Trump’s squad adjacent raised the contented with Starmer during his sojourn to the White House successful February.

Sure, determination were wars successful Ukraine and Gaza to sermon – not to notation the menace of a planetary commercialized warfare resulting from Trump’s tariff plans – but let’s drill down into wherefore your state hasn’t fixed the president the Open yet.

Thankfully, perhaps, it is not the Prime Minister’s acquisition to bash immoderate specified thing. That determination rests with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) successful St Andrews which has shown itself alternatively little ingratiating than British premiers astir the Great American Ego.

Four years ago, its past main enforcement Martin Slumbers said determination were ‘no plans’ to signifier immoderate championships astatine Turnberry successful the foreseeable future.

He added: ‘We volition not instrumentality until we are convinced that the absorption volition beryllium connected the championship, the players and the people itself, and we bash not judge that is achievable successful existent circumstances.’

You could spot his point. This was days aft Trump incited his supporters to march connected the Capitol Building.

This week, caller main enforcement Mark Darbon said the presumption remained unchanged, pointing retired that, successful immoderate case, Turnberry lacked the infrastructure to big a ‘modern Open’. Ouch.

I retrieve attending the property league successful the Turnberry Hotel successful 2014, days aft Trump had closed the woody connected the place. He stood determination smiling beatifically arsenic fig 2 lad Eric told the media: ‘Owning Turnberry is thing that helium genuinely deserves.’

I doubted that. What I didn’t uncertainty was owning Turnberry was a means to an end.

It was by present already crystal wide that – for each that it was the ‘best play people successful the world’, evidently – the tycoon’s golfing edifice astatine the Menie Estate successful Aberdeenshire was ne'er going to pull the Open.

It was a caller kid connected the block-type course. Scotland was awash with fantabulous long-established courses, galore of them jostling for presumption connected the Open rota.

Plan B, it seems, was to bargain 1 of these long-established courses - 1 truthful highly regarded that the Open had already been staged determination 4 times, astir precocious successful 2009. Not conscionable that, Trump would walk millions making it better.

Furthermore, each the redesign plans would beryllium tally past the R&A conscionable to marque definite thing was happening that would render the spot unsuitable for the Open.

Once Trump had worked his magic, however could they accidental no?

They said no.

Governing bodies for globally fashionable sports tin beryllium similar that. They get it successful their heads that decisions should beryllium made successful the interests of the athletics alternatively than the interests of 1 ego.

We each cognize wherefore Donald Trump wants the Open truthful badly. It is truthful that helium tin bask successful the reflected glory of the world’s finest players competing implicit 1 of his courses. It is astir power, the marque sanction and, the longer it eludes him, it is astir getting what helium wants.

As 1 who grew up successful St Andrews I’m alternatively impressed that this stately aged gathering down the Old Course archetypal tee has go the cardinal stronghold resisting the Trump dream, uncowed by his presumption – indeed, rightly convinced that is precisely what makes Turnberry a non-starter.

Just see the world of the spectacle if that envelope truly had contained an connection to signifier the Open. It is lone weeks since vandals Trump described arsenic ‘terrorists’ spray-painted the Turnberry clubhouse with expletives and damaged greens.

Any Trump-hosted Open, whether during oregon aft his statesmanlike term, would beryllium a magnet for protests, disruption and anarchy.

The proprietor of the people would inevitably overshadow thing happening connected it. It would beryllium a catastrophe for the athletics the president professes to love. Doesn’t helium cognize this? Or does getting his way, and damn the consequences, trump all?

It remains a disturbing truth, arsenic UK imports to the US look 10 per cent tariffs from time [SATURDAY], that, successful the acquisition of the Open, Britain holds a bargaining spot which mightiness conscionable soften the president’s position.

Could Starmer beryllium tempted to thin connected the R&A? Are they definite there’s nary mode Trump tin person his play tourney successful Scotland. The nation’s system could beryllium astatine stake.

The connection is determination has already been diplomatic unit from some sides of the Atlantic to bring the Open backmost to the Ayrshire people – thing Mr Darbon did not contradict this week.

It tells america however baleful the satellite of authorities tin beryllium sometimes. It suggests that decisions which tin impact tens of millions tin remainder connected the whims of those who are prone to seeing precocious bureau arsenic a means to service themselves arsenic overmuch arsenic their country.

I bash anticipation the Prime Minister resists immoderate impulse to sacrifice yet much dignity astatine the altar of an R&A determination which is intelligibly the close one.

Indeed, I fishy helium would beryllium acold amended advised to deduce inspiration from the body’s stance.

You bash not basal up to a bully by flattery oregon obsequiousness oregon invitations to flaunt their presumption earlier your caput of state. All this has been tried and has succeeded lone successful coating Starmer arsenic the poodle.

Compare and opposition with the steadfast nary that Trump is proceeding from golf’s governing body. It’s a bully connection for the almighty to perceive sometimes.

Not everyone bends to your will, sir. How does the aged opus go? You Can’t Always Get What You Want.

Perhaps the King’s Guard Band should play it for him erstwhile helium arrives.