RTE may get Ryder action

RTE's head of television sport, Tim O'Connor, is confident the station will secure permission from Sky to screen daily highlights of Europe's bid to retain the Ryder Cup at Valderrama in September, thus averting the furore of two years ago when the encounter was shown only on satellite television.

Yesterday, the BBC confirmed it had reached agreement with Sky to broadcast highlights of this year's match in Spain between Europe and the United States after "a lengthy process and protracted negotiations". The station has agreed to pay "a substantial amount of money" to secure the rights. The package also gives the BBC same-night highlights of the Walker Cup from Scarsdale, New York, on August 9th-10th.

When the match was staged at Oak Hill, New York, in 1995, there was no transmission on terrestrial television, and many Irish viewers missed out on the contribution which Philip Walton made to the cause when clinching the vital point with his singles win over Jay Haas to give Europe a 14 1/2 13 1/2 win.

However, RTE have been in discussion with Sky in an attempt to broadcast highlights of this year's event, and O'Connor said talks "are well advanced and we are confident we will be able to show highlights".

Indeed, the relationship between Sky and some terrestrial channels has changed significantly since Oak Hill. RTE and Sky, in fact, have co-operated on a number of events, most notably the Smurfit European Open at The K Club last year and the Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen earlier this month, as well as the recent Irish International inter-club tournament at Lansdowne Road.

O'Connor's discussions with Sky have centred mainly on the Ryder Cup and the

European Cup club rugby championship, which the satellite station have exclusive live rights to. "We are very close to finalising an agreement," said O'Connor.

Sky have exclusive live rights to the Ryder Cup - in which Darren Clarke will make his debut for Europe - and will dedicate over 60 hours of programming to the event, which is being staged on continental Europe for the first time.