They’re off and running for Ryder Cup 2018
European Ryder Cup director Richard Hills has already mentioned “sporting and commercial criteria” and when push comes to shove, it can be guaranteed that the latter will assume greater importance than the former. If that wasn’t the case, then the 2006 matches would have taken place over a links, most likely Portmarnock, rather than an American-designed parkland lay-out at the K Club in Co Kildare. Much or maybe all will depend on which country comes up with the most money!
The six countries – France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden – have announced their intention to bid for the 2018 Cup. The deadline for the submission of bids is the end of April next year, with the announcement expected in 2011.
Celtic Manor in Wales plays host next year, and the 2014 contest is at Gleneagles in Scotland. But when both were selected it was decided that after that the European home match would return to the continent if suitable venues could be found.
European Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: “We have set the date by which bids must be received in order to provide each country with the optimum opportunity in the current economic climate to present their strongest possible bid.
“In setting the sporting and commercial criteria that will be used to assess bids, we have been quite clear that each country bid must be channelled through its National Golf Federation and that no bids from individual venues will be considered.
“Assuming that all necessary criteria are met, the 2018 Ryder Cup will be played in mainland Europe.”
For the purpose of this piece, I will nominate the venue in each of the six countries I believe best equipped to stage the matches.”
Meanwhile, Retief Goosen was left wishing he had changed putters a week ago after he rolled in eight birdies to take the first-round lead at the BMW International Open in Munich yesterday.
“It would have been nice to make them at the US Open – I holed nothing there,” said the 40-year-old South African after a 64 put him two in front of England’s Richard Finch.
Goosen, 16th at Bethpage Black on Monday, added: “I tested a new putter in the pro-am here and it felt sort of good, so I decided to give it a try.”
Two months away from his 52nd birthday Bernhard Langer comfortably got the better of 20-year-old playing partner Rory McIlroy. Langer, trying to become the oldest European Tour winner in history, returned a four under par 68 to be four behind Goosen.
McIlroy, 10th in the US Open on Monday, was only level par with four to play, birdied the next two, but then closed with a bogey six after trying to hit out a fairway bunker with a wood and hitting the lip.
Irish Open amateur winner Shane Lowry shot a two over 74 and is now in danger of a third successive missed cut as a professional.
