Officials behind Scotland's bid to host the 2009 Ryder Cup have dismissed as "pure speculation" reports that Gleneagles has been earmarked for the honour of holding the prestigious event.
A report in The Herald newspaper suggests that the bid put together by the Scottish Executive was the most impressive of those in front of the Ryder Cup committee.
But the firm promoting Scotland's bid, Hastings International, and the Scottish Executive have both described the report as nothing more than speculation.
The £30m Scottish bid was launched at the end of October aimed at attracting the event to one of four venues in "the home of golf" for only the second time in Ryder Cup history.
The Hastings International statement read: "No-one from the PGA has been in contact with anyone from Scotland's Ryder Cup bid.
"We are still operating on the understanding that a decision on the country will be made at the end of January and the venue will be announced at the Ryder Cup at
The Belfry in September 2001.
"Moreover, I would like to stress that it is Bank of Scotland who are our private sector partner in the bid.
"Finally, the Scottish Executive have not excluded any golf club from bidding to host the 2009 Ryder Cup and if Scotland wins the right to host the 2009 event we expect several more courses to come
forward and express an interest in staging the event."
