Golf:Howling winds and torrential rains accompanied today's date announcement for the 2014 Ryder Cup, but organisers dismissed fears of another weather-disrupted event. The 2014 staging will take place from September 26th to September 28th at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Europe are the holders, having triumphed against the United States at Celtic Manor last October in an event which went into a fourth day for the first time in history due to adverse weather in south Wales.
The wet surroundings and lying water on the King’s Course by the Dormy Clubhouse, where today’s announcement was made, must have made for uncomfortable viewing, but European Ryder Cup director Richard Hills maintained the weather is not a concern.
“It’s in its traditional date,” said Hills. “We are not an indoor sport. You have instances where tournaments in July have had to go into Mondays, so it’s not an unusual occurrence. We have to deal with what we’ve been given.
“(The possibility of changing the date) was looked at, but we were very comfortable with what was in the mix. The international schedule is complex and it will become even more complicated in 2016 when golf becomes an Olympic sport again.
“That’s another ingredient which will be in the mix.”
Asked why a compromise can be made for the Olympics but not the Ryder Cup, Hills said: “We were very comfortable with the date. We’re very comfortable with the weather stats. If we had played the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor we’ve had had three days’ straight sunshine this year.
“We’re very confident of delivery in this particular date.”
The competition will be played in the traditional three-day, 28-point format and there is the possibility of an additional day’s play, if required.
“There’s always been a provision that you could run over into that extra day,” Hills added.
It will be the 40th staging of the Ryder Cup and the second time the event has been held in Scotland. In 1973, the contest was played at Muirfield in East Lothian.
The 2012 Ryder Cup will take place at the Medinah Country Club near Chicago next September, with Jose Maria Olazabal as captain.
