Ryder Cup organisers issue fake tickets warning

Organisers of the Ryder Cup have reinforced the warning to all golf fans to be vigilant of unscrupulous agents offering forged or invalid entrance tickets for October’s match at Celtic Manor in Wales.

The second ballot for public match day tickets is now closed and every applicant is being informed of the result by e-mail.

Richard Hills, the European Ryder Cup director, said: “We need to make it clear to anyone intending to be at the 2010 Ryder Cup that tickets are only available through the official channels.

“Failure to comply with this warning could lead to fans being seriously overcharged for tickets which are simply not valid and unnecessary disappointment as those unwitting fans are turned away.

“We are receiving an increasing number of enquiries from members of the public who have paid for Ryder Cup tickets and hospitality through unofficial sources.

“In all cases the sums involved have been far in excess of the face value of the tickets and it would appear that the seller is unable to absolutely guarantee entry into the event.”

In 2006 a number of companies contacted Ryder Cup Europe to enquire when their packages would be arriving, only for them to be informed that they had purchased non-existent inventory.

Ryder Cup Europe have been made aware of pirate hospitality agencies again offering illegal Ryder Cup packages and advises that the only companies officially appointed to service the contest are Keith Prowse, IMG Hospitality, the Mike Burton Group, CSL Hospitality (Ireland) and Ryder Cup Travel Services.

Hills added: “There are imposters out there prepared to try to cheat not only individual purchasers, but also companies.

“We want to protect all golf fans from being duped and we want to protect the good name that Wales has for hospitality.

“We urge everyone to check and double check before parting with their money as there appears to be an increasing number of operators seeking to sell tickets and hospitality packages through unauthorised and invalid channels.”