Muirfield Joins Ryder Cup Race

Muirfield, the club which hosted the Ryder Cup on the one previous occasion when the match with the Americans was held in Scotland in 1973, is a candidate to stage the 2009 contest.

With St Andrews, Turnberry, Carnoustie, Loch Lomond and Gleneagles already official contenders to provide the venue, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers have submitted a bid document which is backed by Lothians tourism and enterprise agencies.

All bids for the 2009 match have to be lodged with the Ryder Cup committee by the end of this month and the overall Scottish bid is second to none in terms of quality courses.

Wales, north-east England and Sweden also hope to host the Ryder Cup nine years from now, but the Welsh bid is the most serious rival to Scotland with Celtic Manor, which has staged both the Wales Open and PGA Cup match this year, backed by huge financial resources.

European Tour events are also scheduled for Loch Lomond, Gleneagles and St Andrews next season, and Scotland's Ryder Cup bid looks to be gathering momentum. But Muirfield's chances may be scuppered by their membership policy.

Only men are allowed to join the world's oldest golf club, which dates back to 1744, and that antiquated attitude is unlikely to sit well with a government-backed initiative.

A decision on the host country for 2009 is expected to be announced in the New Year while the successful course is due to be named during next September's match at the Belfry.

Sandy Jones, the chief executive of the PGA, said: "Celtic Manor did a very good job of putting on the PGA Cup and what we can say about them is that they've met every challenge which has been put in front of them so far.

"We've also been very impressed with the bid from the north-east of England and the enthusiasm and seriousness of the Swedish bid. All the interested parties, including Scotland, are showing both innovation and commitment to the game.

"After what happened at Brookline, there was a feeling that the Ryder Cup was bad for golf. We want to change that perception. Our aim is to persuade people that the Ryder Cup can be very good for the game.

"That's why the decision on who gets the match in 2009 has to be viewed as a catalyst for growth - a chance to focus on golf and an opportunity to develop the game."