Ryder Cup chiefs reopen K club

The K Club has reopened to spectators after high winds kept all non-essential staff out of the venue this morning.

Winds gusting to more than 40mph saw fans prevented from travelling to the course west of Dublin for several hours, and also kept the European and American teams from practising as scheduled.

A statement from Ryder Cup organisers read: “The Ryder Cup site was deemed unsafe under the cover of darkness at 6.30am and with winds gusting to more than 40mph.

“All structures have subsequently been checked and loose impediments such as screens, fencing and flags secured. With 45,000 spectators anticipated both Ryder Cup LLP and the Garda Siochána were quite clear that health and safety issues were paramount.

“The weather forecast at 9am was significantly better than earlier in the morning and Ryder Cup LLP and the Garda Siochána were in agreement that the staff could enter at 9am ahead of the public being admitted at 10am.

“Both Ryder Cup LLP and the Garda Siochána would like to thank the public for their patience, especially those who were compelled to wait in the park and ride facilities.”

The European team were planning to start practice at 10:30am and play nine holes at 11am before evaluating the situation, but the forecast for the rest of the day was still unsettled.

Tickets for the practice days cost €35, and with an anticipated 45,000 crowd that amounted to revenue in excess of €1.48m.

A spokesman for the Gardaí, superintendent Kevin O'Donogue, said that the situation had been monitored throughout the night before the decision to close the gates to spectators and non-essential staff was taken.

“Our prime concern has to be public safety and we needed to make a complete check of all structure and loose equipment such as barriers,” he said. “They have all been made secure now.

“Unless there is a serious deterioration we are ready to go and so have issued the instruction that the public can be allowed in from 10 o'clock. The park-and-ride system will start operating again from that time too.

“It is a matter, obviously, for the Ryder Cup authorities what the movements of the teams are, but they 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.”

There was inevitable disruption and chaos, with Ryder Cup officials seen arguing with Garda officers and security personnel at the various entrances about who could be allowed in through the gates ahead of the public.

It is only five years ago, of course, that the Ryder Cup at The Belfry was postponed for 12 months in the wake of the terrorist attacks in America.

That had huge implications in terms of insurance claims and counter-claims regarding such things as hotels in the Birmingham area which were suddenly empty and had to be re-booked.

European captain Ian Woosnam yesterday voiced the concern that the first Ryder Cup in Ireland could be halted by bad weather.

“I think what we’ve got to worry about is will we be able to play the golf course,” said Woosnam on hearing the tail-end of Hurricane Gordon in the Atlantic could be heading towards the K Club.

Monday’s rain left bunkers flooded on the course just west of Dublin and new rakes have been bought because of the furrows that were left when the greenkeeping staff did their repair work.

“They had to rough them up to dry them out a little bit,” added Woosnam. “Two of our players were in bunkers today and basically just couldn’t get the ball out there’s so many rake marks.

“When they do get raked now they will be raked more towards the greens. At least if it’s lying in the groove mark you’ll be going with it rather than across it. That’s how I’d like to see it any way.”

Tournament director David Garland said the situation was being constantly monitored and discussions were to be held with Woosnam and American captain Tom Lehman over whether preferred lies – lift, clean and place as it is also known - will be in operation because of the amount of mud the ball is picking up.

“We’re out monitoring things and will keep doing that daily,” stated Garland, the European Tour’s director of operations. “We never want to have placing of the ball, but sometimes you just have to.

“The course is soft obviously, but the greenkeeping team have been doing a very good job.”

Any hold-up in play would make it difficult to complete foursomes and fourballs on each of the first two days, but with Sunday comprising only 12 singles there is an opportunity then to make up for lost time.

Nine years ago at Valderrama in Spain a torrential downpour on the morning the match was due to start delayed play, but the event still finished on Sunday - just before another deluge.