Ryder Cup...in Dubai?
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 4, 2008 11:22 AM EST
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PrintGolf Channel's Brian Hewitt floats the rumor that Dubai could host a future Ryder Cup in his weekly piece for the .com. Venues for the Euro side are locked up through 2014, with Gleneagles hosting then. 2018 could be the earliest that Dubai could host the competition, but competing bids from other sites in Europe proper would likely derail any Dubai effort.
Hewitt points out that Valderrama in 1997 has been the only course outside of GB&I to host the Ryder Cup.
The source of the rumor, though, is the growing influence of Dubai and Leisurecorp in the direction of the European Tour. The deal between the Euro Tour and Leisurecorp is five years in length. How well this first iteration goes may determine how much influence Dubai plans to wield in the future.
They also own Turnberry - the 2009 Open Championship host. They could be a contender to buy Loch Lomond, now on the market - though the membership might have something to say about that.
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why not ?
if Dubai is European Tour territory – they’re eligible. If nothing else, it’s a warm weather option for Euro years. Of course, they will royally piss off most of the European continent golf fans by having it there. (I put SO much stock into every word Brian Hewitt spews)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
It seems very awkward to me
That a Ryder Cup would be held in a place where no player competing in it is born. (Henrik Stenson lives in Dubai.)
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