The following statement was issued at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday 3 October 2010
The Celtic Manor Resort shares the disappointment of spectators, patrons and official sponsors that The 2010 Ryder Cup was not completed on schedule because of extreme weather conditions.
An additional 15.4mm of rain on Saturday night and Sunday morning meant a total of 52.2mm (2.04 inches) of rain fell on The Twenty Ten Course between 17.30 on Thursday and 10.00 on Sunday. The average monthly rainfall calculated on the months of September and October is 94mm (3.7 inches) so the equivalent of 55.5 percent of the average monthly rainfall has fallen in less than three days.
Play was able to resume at 13.30, within three and a half hours of the rain easing, thanks to the dedication of a team of 110 greenkeepers, many of them volunteers, led by Jim McKenzie, Director of Golf Courses at Celtic Manor.
Celtic Manor Resort Chairman Sir Terry Matthews said: “Everybody involved in organising this first Ryder Cup in Wales is deeply disappointed by the weather but our biggest disappointment is for the spectators and sponsors who deserved so much better.
“Their support and enthusiasm for the event despite the disruptions has been extraordinary. The atmosphere on the resumption of play this afternoon was again electric, as it has been throughout this Ryder Cup.
“We could have played this event exactly one year ago or exactly one week ago and we would have experienced no interruptions to the schedule of play, but one thing we cannot control is the weather.
“The fact that around four hours of play was possible on Friday and that the third session is now scheduled to be completed on Sunday is testament to the high quality of the course drainage, and the dedication of Jim McKenzie and his team who have done an unbelievable job.
“We would also like to thank everybody working at the event, particularly the volunteer marshals, for their tireless work in trying conditions and, of course, the spectators once again for their patience. We hope that as many of today’s crowd as possible will be able to return on Monday when the forecast is for better weather. I am sure we are still going to see a fantastic climax to this great sporting occasion.”
In conjunction with Ryder Cup Europe, Ryder Cup Wales and other partners, The Celtic Manor Resort has always had contingency plans for the event extending into Monday and is fully prepared to facilitate a successful conclusion to The 2010 Ryder Cup.
Celtic Manor Resort www.celtic-manor.com