The modern-day Ryder Cup is the kind of event that provides plenty of statistics to underline its size and prestige in comparison to other worldwide sporting contests. This year’s match statistics highlights range from the size of the grandstand on the 1st tee (6,900 fans) to the age of the oldest volunteer (82), compiled by Ross Biddiscombe
Le Golf National Golf Course
- 5 million Euros spent on refurbishing the course
- 8 different companies involved
- 15 km of new paths were constructed
- 18km of new drainage across every hole of the course
- New irrigation system installed on all 18 holes of the course
- 27,000 m2 of platform areas constructed for Ryder Cup hospitality
- 9 km piping installed for drinking water
- All bunkers (45) were reconstructed
- 1 km of new lake edgings
- 2 new lakes
- 4 new Pro Tees
- The 1st tee grandstand holds 6,900 fans
- All 10 grandstands hold a total of 11,063 seats
- 18 Jumbotron screens
- 25 kilometres of ropes to keep the crowds off the fairways and greens held by 5,250 white stakes, 16.5km of crowd control barriers around the site including the park and ride areas
- 60 generators are providing power all week producing 15,000KVA of power
- The merchandise tent in the main tented village is 3,800 sq metres in size
Media
- Up to 1,000 credited media in the main Media Centre
- A further 1,000 TV production media in the television compound
- Two dozen countries will be represented, including 200 from France
- All press conferences will be simultaneously translated in English and French
- More than 85 cameras will send TV pictures around the world
General
- Over 4,500 applications to be a Ryder Cup volunteer, with 1,350 successful from over 50 countries
- The youngest volunteer is 18 and the oldest is 82
- A total of 7,000 people will be working at the event including jobs in catering, first aid, marshalling, car park staff, scoreboard attendants, hotel and clubhouse staff, police and merchandise sellers
- There are 220 mobile offices, stores and toilets around the golf course
- There are 430 plasma TVs in the various hospitality suites and other viewing areas
- 356 golf carts from Club Car are on hand along with 100 courtesy cars
- 500,000 litres of water are expected to be drunk on match days, Friday to Sunday
The Match
- Thorbjorn Olesen has become the 82nd different player to make the European team
- Tony Finau, as the last wildcard picked for the US team, is the 188th different American golfer to play in this match
- Players from 12 different countries have made the European team since 1979
- Sergio Garcia is the youngest ever player at 19 years and 258 days (1999) and Ray Floyd is the oldest at 52 (1993)
- Three Frenchman have made the team in the past – Jean van de Velde (1999), Thomas Levet (2004) and Victor Dubuisson (2014)
- Nick Faldo holds the record for most points (25) and most appearances (11)
- Arnold Palmer has won the most Ryder Cup matches at 22
The most successful partnership is Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal who played 15 times together