Security stepped up at Solheim Cup

Security arrangements for the Solheim Cup golf match, Europe's women professionals against the United States, near Malmo starting…

Security arrangements for the Solheim Cup golf match, Europe's women professionals against the United States, near Malmo starting tomorrow have been stepped up following the murder of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.

The three-day match is a sell-out, with 25,000 tickets issued for the first two days and 30,000 for Sunday's singles, and all spectators are now likely to have their bags searched on entry.

It had already been decided that police officers will follow each game and that there will be round-the-clock security for the two teams, who are staying at a hotel close to the Barseback course.

Flags have been lowered to half-mast and all the players will be wearing black ribbons in their caps as a mark of respect.

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A minute's silence was added to the schedule for today's opening ceremony. Swedish Sports Minister Mona Sahlin was due to speak, but stayed in Stockholm instead.

Security is at nothing like the level of last year's Ryder Cup at The Belfry, where fans had to go through airport-style X-ray machines.

"The plan was to try to make this as public friendly as possible, but after this tragedy the spectators are going to be inconvenienced a little more," said event director Mark Casey.

"We've worked very closely obviously with Securitas and the police force since happenings a couple of years ago."

Today is the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America.

"Those plans are still in place, but we're reviewing them after what happened, but we're very confident that what we've got is adequate and will work very well.

"We've looked into what could happen and now our contingency plans will obviously be put in place. We're looking to step everything up to another level and make sure the players' safety is priority."