Scotland ups bid for Solheim Cup

by Jim Black

SCOTLAND has stepped up its bid to host the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles’ PGA Centenary Course with full government backing.

Ten countries expressed an initial interest in staging the biennial event in four years’ time, but it has come down to a straight fight between Scotland and Sweden, which has selected Bro Hof Golf Club, venue for the Nordea Masters, as its preferred venue.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hosted a five-strong Ladies European Tour delegation at the Scottish Parliament last week at the end of their two-day visit to assess the venue, which hosted last year’s Ryder Cup.

The delegation, led by LET chief executive Ivan Khodabakhsh and the tour’s European Solheim Cup director Mark Casey, was suitably impressed by what they saw on their fact-finding mission.

The tour owns the event, and Khodabakhsh said: “The quality of the presentation and the experience of the team behind the bid was extremely impressive, as well as the world-renowned facilities at Gleneagles Hotel.

“It was very opportune to visit exactly 12 months on from the Ryder Cup match that was hosted to an exceptional level, and to see the commitment and desire from everyone to deliver the same stage for the largest ladies professional golf tournament in the world in 2019.”

VisitScotland’s events chief Paul Bush explained that the bid is a natural step in the wake of the Ryder Cup.

He said: “Building on last year, we’ve seen all the benefits for Scotland from hosting the Ryder Cup, both in terms of its international profile and its perception. You would struggle to get a fourball at Gleneagles now and the figures for pay and play courses have also been phenomenal this year.”

Bush believes that the Solheim Cup can help attract more girls to golf, claiming that Scotland already has the most egalitarian golfing community in the world.

He pointed to the experience gained from the organisation and successful execution of the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup.

Park and ride sites are already in place, and fibre optic cabling was installed at Gleneagles. The transport infrastructure was also largely successful, while having a quality hotel on site is important from the players’ point of view.

“The European Tour left Gleneagles after the Ryder Cup in a very healthy state, having received great TV viewing figures and great numbers through the gates,” said Bush.

“And, if Scotland wins this bid, the LET is buying into huge experience. We believe we can give the Solheim Cup back to the LET with a stronger brand value than when we receive it.

“I think the success of last year’s Ryder Cup is very important because all the key decision-makers in this process were at Gleneagles last September.”

The economic value of the Solheim Cup is estimated at between £15-20million, approximately a quarter of what the Ryder Cup generated. But there are other potential long-term financial benefits in terms of the tourist trade through worldwide TV coverage.

If successful, it will be the third time Scotland has hosted the event following Europe’s victories at Dalmahoy in 1992 and Loch Lomond eight years later, with officials pencilling in late August or early September for the three-day match.

The decision will be announced on October 28 and the Scottish bid has the backing of American stars Paula Creamer and Cheyenne Woods, Tiger’s niece.

Eight-time Solheim Cup player Catriona Matthew is already been talked about as a potential captain in her homeland.

Tagged Gleneagles, Scotland, Solheim Cup