The home of golf is expected to confirm today that it is abandoning
it's bid to stage the 2009 Ryder Cup. An interesting development
considering the Ryder Cup Committee's instruction to the Scottish
office that they must shorten their candidate list. Other UK regions
have only proposed one venue; Wales - Celtic Manor, Nothern England
- Slaley Hall.
Although the Old Course has always been a popular venue for the
Open Championship, it was widely known that this was not the case
when considering a Ryder Cup venue. Whether St. Andrew's therefore
decided to "jump rather than be pushed" is open to speculation.
The remaining four courses are currently Gleneagles, Carnoustie,
Loch Lomond and Turnberry. Scotland have until the Masters in April
to come up with a preferred candidate.
