Who will host the Ryder Cup 2022?
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Time, tide and the Ryder Cup wait for no man. So while we mortals may still be raving about three days of glorious golf at Gleneagles, Ryder Cup Europe has shifted its focus to selecting the host nation for the 2022 matches. At present, seven countries have expressed an interest in holding the event. TG assesses their chances in the build-up to the final deadline for official bids on February 16, 2015.
The hills are alive with the sound of birdies. Actually, forget that. No matter how much we’d love to see a Sky Sports montage featuring Rory, Poults and Sergio bombing drives off mountains while the von Trapps sing and dance in the background, Austria’s chances of hosting the event range from slim to none. Why? It does not have the courses, golfing legacy or golf participation levels and it has never produced a Ryder Cup player. |
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Austria |
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It is tough to look past this bid. The country has the second highest level of golf participation in Europe. It is home to BMW, which sponsors three big Euro events. It has the infrastructure to pull it off and a plethora of top courses near big cities. It is awash with commercial opportunities., has made a huge contribution to the Ryder Cup in the past courtesy of Bernhard Langer and it will make a huge one in future through Martin Kaymer. |
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Germany |
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It seems to be a case of bad timing for Italy. Four years ago, everyone was talking about Italian golf because the Molinaris were part of the Ryder Cup team and teenager Matteo Manassero was on his way to becoming Rookie of the Year. This year, no-one is talking about Italian golf. Add in a struggling economy and low golf participation levels and it’s hard to see why Ryder Cup Europe would give it the nod. |
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Italy |
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While the Algarve might be a golfing Mecca for us Brits, it’s unlikely to attract our biggest stars. We say this because, despite having so many great courses, Portugal has never produced a Ryder Cup player and has very low golf participation numbers. The people behind the Portuguese bid will argue a Ryder Cup could change that. Ryder Cup Europe will factor in Portugal’s faltering economy and reply, ‘Better luck next time, adeus.’ |
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Portugal |
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The 1997 Cup at Valderrama was brilliant. So why not repeat the trick in 2022? TG’s heart says ‘yes’, but its head says ‘no’. First, there is no obvious captain – 2022 will be too early for Sergio and too late for Jimenez. Second, Spanish golf participation numbers are declining. Third, the economy is struggling. And fourth, Ryder Cup Europe is likely to ‘grow the game’ by giving the event to a nation that hasn’t had it before. |
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Spain |
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