‘I thought we were going nowhere except home’

DARREN CLARKE was first to emerge.

For much of yesterday morning, the prospect of seeing any play looked grim. Health and safety fears forced golf officials to close the K Club for three hours as fierce winds and torrential rain battered the course.

With up to 45,000 spectators expected, all shuttle bus services were temporarily suspended, while members of the European and US teams stayed indoors at Straffan, Co Kildare. Tickets for the practice days cost €35, and with an anticipated 45,000 crowd that amounted to revenue in excess of €1.5 million.

Winds gusting at more than 40mph caused severe disruption, but a decision was taken to allow the fans in to the course even though it was still not clear if the second day of practice would go ahead.

The match is due to begin on Friday following tomorrow’s planned opening ceremony, but the threat of more rain is bound to heighten concerns among ground staff and the organising committee.

With dozens of hospitality tents, marquees and grandstands being buffeted by the wind, officials said they had no choice but to keep the gates closed.

A statement issued just before 10am, when the public were finally admitted, said: “All structures have .. been checked and loose impediments such as screens, fencing and flags secured.”

Garda spokesman, Superintendent Kevin O’Donogue, said the situation had been monitored throughout the night before the decision to close the gates to spectators and non-essential staff.

“Our prime concern has to be public safety and we needed to make a complete check.

“[The Ryder Cup authorities] are conscious of the fact that the public have paid to watch practice days and have been looking forward to this for a long time.”

Fans later spoke of their relief at being allowed in to the K Club.

Some had been travelling all night, only to be told, at the final stage of their journey, that the competition had been put on hold.

Ralph Hill, 29, walked almost half a mile from his parents’ home, nearby, with a party of friends.

“We had just resigned ourselves that this was it, we’d get no further.”

Dee Miller, also 29, a lawyer, from Dublin, said: “I thought my one and only chance of seeing the Ryder Cup was gone. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

“It was such an emotional roller coaster. One minute it was disappointment, then optimism and then hopes faded.

“It is like the old days sitting listening to the wireless, listening for updates. It was like waiting for the start of the war all over again. It’s such a relief they’ve let us through.”

Dubliner Daniel Foggarty, 16, who was draped in an Irish flag, waited four hours at the gates.

“I thought we were going nowhere except home. In fact, the buses were waiting to take us back when we were told ‘OK, away you go’.”