From the fairways of Rome to the greens of Versailles, could the world’s most prestigious golf tournament be heading to Bolton?
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has announced a bid to bring the Ryder Cup to the north of England for the first time in nearly 60 years.
The contest would be hosted in the grounds of Bolton’s historic Hulton Park, which was formerly owned by the aristocratic family that inspired Downton Abbey.
There are more than a few obstacles in its way, however. For one, the £250m course is not yet built.
Plans to bring the Ryder Cup to Bolton were first raised in 2018 and met with fierce opposition from residents and conservationists over the loss of Grade II-listed land.
Maxine Peake, the Bolton-born actor, described it at the time as “absolute madness fuelled by nothing more than utter greed”.
As recently as last week, council bosses reiterated that the Peel Group development would only go ahead if it won the Ryder Cup bid – yet that decision is not expected until around 2029.
It would be the first time in more than 30 years that England has hosted the biennial tournament, in which Europe’s best male golfers compete against the best from the US. The Belfry in Warwickshire hosted the competition the last four times it has been held in England – more than any other course in Europe or the US.
The Ryder Cup last came to the north of England in 1977, when rookies Tom Watson, 28, and Jack Nicklaus, 37, faced off against a 20-year-old Nick Faldo at Royal Lytham & St Annes golf club in Lancashire.
Burnham said Bolton 2035 would be the “biggest ever” Ryder Cup and bring an estimated 350,000 fans along with a “lasting legacy” for the region.
“The success of the Brit awards in Manchester shows that we can we attract and deliver international events to a brilliant standard,” he said. “We’ve had promising conversations with organisers about bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world-class course at Hulton Park. But it will only be possible with the right infrastructure. We’re doing our bit to make it happen.
“We’re committing up to £70m to deliver a transport package to not only help spectators get to the site but deliver major benefits for the people living in the surrounding areas.”
Any UK bid would need the blessing of government ministers. Bolton is expected to face competition from the Belfry, the London golf club in Kent and Luton Hoo, which is undergoing a near three-year redevelopment.
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