Crucial role for Government in Ryder Cup bid

IRELAND'S prospects of staging the Ryder Cup in 2005 will rest largely on the country's continued support of tournament golf. This was the message from Ken Schofield, executive director of the European Tour, at a meeting in Dublin yesterday with Government representatives.

Schofield, who was accompanied by Andy Stubbs of the European Seniors' Tour, left the Irish group in no doubt about his requirements. My job is to get tour events for my players, and, where possible, I will use the Ryder Cup to that end," he said.

This was the nature of frank discussions which the two officials had with the Minister for Sport, Bernard Allen, and four members of his special Ryder Cup committee. They included chairman Hugh Mackeown and tournament professional Des Smyth, along with Mark Howard and Aidan Marsden from the Department of Education.

"In general terms, the meeting was friendly and constructive, said Mackeown last night. "Considerable emphasis was placed on tour events currently taking place in this country and on the possibility of a new, Irish Seniors' Open at St Margaret's."

The former amateur golf international, who is chairman of Musgrave's, went on: "This is an all-Ireland bid which has the sup port of the Northern Ireland sports council. Though my committee obviously has no mandate to act on behalf of the North our objective is to get the Ryder Cup for the island of Ireland."

In that context, Schofield alluded to the continuing support for the British Seniors' Open, which will have its third successive staging at Royal Port rush next July. Meanwhile, he expects the Government to continue supporting the Murphy's Irish Open and Smurfit European Open, each of which currently gets £200,000 of State funds.

As I indicated in these columns last Saturday, the European Tour were greatly influenced by the success of the Turespana series of tournaments when they awarded the Ryder Cup to Spain for next year. "Ken Schofield made a particular point of highlighting that situation," said Mackeown.

"Overall, I found it very helpful to know exactly what we needed to do. And looking towards the next meeting of our committee in January, we've got to work with the Minister to ensure that the Government's support of golf continues. It must, given that we are looking towards staging an event which is more than eight years away," Mackeown said.

Meanwhile, Schofield also made it clear that the first decision to be made by the Ryder Cup committee would be to name the selected country. But he added: "I will be happy to take applications from individual courses. In fact the quality of their presentations could strengthen the overall Irish bid."

So, despite the seemingly long-term nature of the exercise, the Government would appear to be taking the correct approach in giving it priority at this stage.

On the seven-member Ryder Cup committee, the PGA had the casting vote in choosing The Belfry for 2001, the centenary of their association. Four years later, however, the European Tour will have the greater influence.

The decision on awarding the 2005 Ryder Cup is expected to be made in 1999, which is little more than two years away.

Sam Torrance joked last night that 1997 could be the shortest year of his golfing career. Two days' work, earn a million dollars and then call it a day.

Torrance, who last week collected his MBE for services to the game, plays in the four-man Andersen Consulting world championship in Arizona on January 4th-5th.

If he beats American Scott Hoch in the semi-finals of the matchplay event, and then wins the final (where he could be against Greg Norman), the 43-year-old Scot will pocket the same $1 million prize which Barry Lane brought home at the start of this season.

"It could be my shortest year ever. Two rounds and win a million. I think that might be it for the year," said Torrance before quickly making it clear that he has plenty of other goals in his mind. Among them, of course, a ninth Ryder Cup cap.

Down from second to 22nd in this season's European Order of Merit, Torrance has not picked up a club since missing the cut in the Sarazen World Open in Atlanta on November 1st.

He begins his preparations for Arizona with a pro-am at Sunningdale today.