Ryder Cup 2014 Agreement Signed

An important milestone was marked today in the preparations for The 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles when the Host Nation Agreement was signed on the first tee at the PGA Centenary Course by Scotland’s Minister for Public Health and Sport, Shona Robison, and Ryder Cup Match Director, Edward Kitson.

The official contract between Scottish Ministers and Ryder Cup Europe outlines the main terms, conditions and commitments agreed between the parties in relation to the staging of the event in three years’ time.

Robison said: “The Ryder Cup is the biggest team event in international golf, and one of the main highlights of the sporting calendar, so we are greatly honoured to be hosting such a prestigious tournament at Gleneagles and I look forward to seeing the world’s finest golfers doing battle on Scottish soil.

“With around 250,000 expected over the three match days and a global audience of 600 million viewers, this is a tremendous opportunity to show what Scotland has to offer, not to mention the huge economic benefits for Scotland.”

Signing the agreement on behalf of Ryder Cup Europe, Kitson is delighted with the planning and preparations that are well underway at the ‘Home of Golf’. He said: “We are delighted to be working closely with such supportive and committed partners in the Scottish Government, the key National Agencies, led by EventScotland, and Gleneagles Hotel, the host venue for The 2014 Ryder Cup.

“We have been impressed by the diligence of all the parties involved to gather as much information as possible from their attendance at every Ryder Cup since 2004 in order to create an exceptional event at the Home of Golf. Since last year, our plans and preparations for Gleneagles have accelerated and we look forward to cementing an already robust relationship as we head towards 2014.”

Since being awarded the prestigious event back in 2001, EventScotland, who are leading the delivery of the event for the Host Nation, along with other key partners have been observing the last four Ryder Cups to learn from them and maximise the best possible arrangement for Scotland. A ‘transfer of knowledge’ session was held in January of this year with representatives from Wales, Ryder Cup and Scotland to pass on the lessons learnt from the 2010 event at The Celtic Manor Resort.

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland said: “Today’s announcement is an important landmark as we move towards the delivery of The Ryder Cup in 2014.

“Scotland has an enviable track record of delivering world class events and we’re now in a position to work with all of our partners to create a Ryder Cup which will demonstrate Scotland as the perfect stage for events.”

Part of Scotland’s commitment to staging The Ryder Cup is to create a legacy around it, including staging a range of professional tournaments but also supporting the grassroots of the game. Through Clubgolf, Scotland’s junior golf initiative which was launched as a direct result of the successful Ryder Cup bid, more than 180,000 have already experienced the sport since 2003. To date, 30 professional tournaments have also been supported, generating in excess of £20million in economic benefit to the country.

The world class calendar of competition continues in 2011 with the Scottish Hydro Challenge, RICOH Women’s British Open, Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open and the Walker Cup. Scotland is committed to supporting the golf portfolio beyond 2014 to ensure The 2014 Ryder Cup has an impact far and wide.

McGinley coy on 2014 captaincy

McGinley coy on 2014 captaincy question - Independent.ie

Much to think about with Ryder Cup

The current plan is for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland to be held slightly earlier in the year than was the 2010 Ryder Cup, but Thomas Bjorn would love to see it played in August rather than September whenever Europe hosts the event.

"It's only here once every four years and I think there should be consideration given to that,” said Bjorn, who was played in the Ryder Cup, serving an an assistant captain and is current chairman of the powerful European Tour Tournament Players Committee. "I f you can have [weather] trouble in Wales at the start of October, you can have trouble in Scotland at the end of September."

Fresh off their narrow win in Wales, the Europeans have a lot of decisions to make going forward.

Further talks are to be held between Europe's Ryder Cup Committee, the PGA of America and the PGA Tour, whose scheduling of the FedExCup playoffs is seen by some observers as the main obstacle to moving earlier in the calendar.

"It's a discussion for the big-wigs, not for me," said Bjorn, but there will be other Ryder Cup matters on the agenda for his committee early in the New Year.

First the captaincy, although that appears to need the answer to one simple question: Is Jose Maria Olazabal in a position to succeed Montgomerie?

The Spaniard has only just returned to action after further problems with rheumatic pains, and one of the main reasons Montgomerie agreed to take over from Nick Faldo was that he was still playing full-time on the circuit and therefore better able to assess potential team members.

"Just about every player on the European Tour when I last talked to them about this would love to see Jose Maria as the captain of the European team,” said European Tour Chief Executive George O'Grady. “I haven't heard one person who wouldn't, but it's up to him. He has not been invited yet, but I hope so.

"I hope he is fit. He is an honorable, incredible man and if he didn't feel he could do it completely to the best of his ability he probably would not put a committee in that position."

Then there is the European qualifying system, the subject of much debate in August when the so-called "FedEx Four" of Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Justin Rose didn’t return to Europe for the last two weeks of the points race.

Harrington and Donald were given wild cards, but Montgomerie had only three and Casey and Rose both missed out after Italian Edoardo Molinari won the final qualifying event.

"We will listen to Monty and whoever the new captain is," Bjorn added. "There are strong views coming from all angles and the committee will come up with what we think is right."

Donald believes that a simple switch could help the situation.

At present, four players are chosen based on their world ranking points earned during the qualifying period, then five based on European Tour earnings, plus three wild cards.

If the European Tour list had come first this year, Molinari, Donald, Harrington and Rose would all have qualified instead of Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson.

"I'm third this year in total world ranking points won (behind Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood) and yet I still had to rely on a pick," Donald said. "That seems crazy."