Ryder Cup Europe confirms that six countries – France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden – have announced their intention to bid for The 2018 Ryder Cup.
All six countries have been advised that the deadline for the submission of bids has been set for April 30, 2010. It is intended that the 2018 Host Nation will be announced in 2011.
Richard Hills, the European Ryder Cup Director, said: “We are delighted with the response and congratulate the six countries involved. 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.
“We look forward to working with all six countries over the coming months as they develop their bids and we will shortly be launching an Official Candidate Logo to enable bids to be effectively promoted within each nation. Assuming that all necessary criteria are met, The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played in mainland Europe.”
The 2018 Ryder Cup will be the 42nd edition of the biennial encounter – first played in 1927 – between Europe and the United States. Players from Continental Europe first became eligible for the match in 1979 since when eight matches have been played in the United States, five in England and one each in Ireland and Spain. The 2010 Ryder Cup will be played at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, from October 1-3 next year.
All six Bidding Nations for The 2018 Ryder Cup have, since 1972 when The European Tour officially began, demonstrated their support for the development and growth of the game through not only hosting tournaments but also by nurturing the supply of players onto the world stage.
Together France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will have hosted a total of 700 tournaments – 491 on The European Tour, 162 on the European Challenge Tour and 47 on the European Senior Tour – by the end of this season. So far 72 different players from those six countries have gained 309 wins on The European Tour and 143 have won 264 titles on the European Challenge Tour.
France, where the Open de France ALSTOM, first played in 1906 and recognised as the oldest Continental Open, will be played at Le Golf National in Paris next week, will have hosted 113 European Tour, 50 European Challenge Tour and 11 European Senior Tour events by the end of the season. Ten French golfers have won 22 tournaments on The European Tour and 33 players have gained 48 wins on the European Challenge Tour. Thomas Levet and Jean Van de Velde have represented Europe in The Ryder Cup.
Germany, where the BMW International Open is being played at Golfclub München Eichenried in Munich this week, will have hosted 87 European Tour, 20 European Challenge Tour and six European Senior Tour events by the end of the season. Six German golfers have won 54 tournaments on The European Tour and eight have gained 18 wins on the European Challenge Tour. Bernhard Langer played in ten Ryder Cups and he was the successful European Captain at Oakland Hills, Michigan, in 2004.
Holland, where The KLM Open, first played as the Dutch Open in 1912, will take place at Kennemer Golf and Country Club in Zandvoort from August 20-23, will have hosted 38 European Tour, 12 European Challenge Tour and four European Senior Tour events by the end of this season. Three players from Holland have won four tournaments on The European Tour and seven players have gained 11 wins on the European Challenge Tour.
Portugal, where three tournaments are on The 2009 European Tour International Schedule including the Portugal Masters at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura from October 15-18, will have hosted 59 European Tour, ten European Challenge Tour and ten European Senior Tour events by the end of this season. Daniel Silva is the one Portuguese player by birth to have won on The European Tour while José-Filipe Lima has taken Portuguese nationality since his win in 2004.
Spain, where five tournaments are on The 2009 European International Schedule including the Open de España, first played in 1912, which took place in May at PGA Golf Catalunya in Girona, will have hosted 152 European Tour, 31 European Challenge Tour and 13 European Senior Tour events by the end of the season. A total of 27 Spanish golfers have won 149 tournaments on The European Tour and 24 have gained 43 wins on the European Challenge Tour. Nine players from Spain – Seve Ballesteros, José Maria Cañizares, Antonio Garrido, Ignacio Garrido, Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel Jiménez, José Maria Olazábal, Manuel Piñero and José Rivero – have represented Europe in The Ryder Cup.
Sweden, where the SAS Masters will take place at Barsebäck Golf & Country Club in Skåne from July 23-26, will have hosted 42 European Tour, 39 Challenge Tour and three Senior Tour events by the end of the season. A total of 25 Swedish golfers have won 79 tournaments on The European Tour and 71 have gained 144 wins on the European Challenge Tour. Eight Swedish golfers – Niclas Fasth, Pierre Fulke, Joakim Haeggman, Per-Ulrik Johansson, Robert Karlsson, Jesper Parnevik, Jarmo Sandelin and Henrik Stenson – have represented Europe in The Ryder Cup.