`Irish deserve Ryder Cup'

PORTMARNOCK and Ballybunnion would be superior Ryder Cup venues to The Belfry according to Tom Kite, who will lead the United States in the biennial match against Europe at Valderrama next year. Kite was commenting at the weekend on the decision by the PGA and the European Tour to bring the matches back to The Belfry in 2001.

"There's a lot of good courses all over Britain and Ireland and I'm surprised that The Belfry has been chosen again," said the 1992 US Open champion. "It is especially surprising when you think about all the great courses that are not on the British Open rota but could be used for the Ryder Cup places like Ballybunnion and Portmarnock in Ireland and Walton Heath, Sunningdale and Wentworth."

Kite concluded: "All of them are better courses than The Belfry." When asked during the Buick Classic at West Chester why, in his view, the PGA decided in favour of The Belfry, he rubbed his thumb against his first and second fingers to indicate money.

Whatever about the American view, it is widely acknowledged that a key factor in the decision was that 2001 happens to be the centenary of the PGA, who have their headquarters at The Belfry. Incidentally, Portmarnock made an unsuccessful bid to stage the 1993 matches.