SCOTLAND’S ‘2000 AND NINE’ RYDER CUP PLEDGE

Scotland is mounting a multi-million pound bid to attract the Ryder Cup to the Home of Golf in 2009.  The Scottish Executive and their public sector partners have earmarked £24 million for the development and promotion of golf over the next decade and in addition, a significant sum has been secured from the private sector, led by Bank of Scotland, to support this.  Over 50 per cent of this is new money to support Scotland’s Ryder cup bid.

The event will become the focal point for a massive investment by the public and private sectors in Scotland aimed at taking the development of golf and golf tourism to new levels.  The project involves a unique partnership of the public and private sectors, who have pulled together to lead a drive to help develop Scotland’s tourism industry and create major spin-off benefits to the national economy in terms of jobs, business opportunities and investment.

A progressive programme of golf development initiatives is also a key element of the bid.

‘The Scottish Executive have produced a bid of the highest quality to attract the 2009 Ryder Cup to Scotland, the Home of Golf’, Scottish Executive Cabinet Minister with responsibility for Sport, Sam Galbraith said today.

Speaking in Edinburgh before the formal handing in of the bid to the Ryder Cup Committee on Monday 30 October, Mr Galbraith continued:

‘Every criterion laid out by the PGA and Ryder Cup Ltd has been comprehensively addressed within the bid document.  There has been no room for compromise on quality or commitment in the development of Scotland’s bid and we believe the finished product gives Scotland the best possible chance of winning the right to host the 2009 event.’

The Scottish Executive and its agencies are already committed to spending at least £14m on the development and promotion of golf over the next decade. We will invest a further £10 million to secure the Ryder Cup and to make it the focal point of a co-ordinated drive to boost golf tourism and increase participation in the sport to new levels.

Our spending of at least £24million will be backed by a substantial investment from the private sector led by Bank of Scotland who share our belief that the 2009 Ryder Cup presents a unique opportunity for Scotland.’

Hosting the Ryder Cup in 2009 would also act as an important catalyst for the further development of golf.

Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, Rhona Brankin, gave a unique commitment today:

‘Golf is immensely popular in Scotland and we can boast the best golf courses in the world.  We want to give every child in this country the opportunity to play golf.  Hosting the Ryder Cup in 2009 can help us to achieve that aim.

‘We shall extend our existing commitment to golf and to widening opportunities and introduce every child in Scotland – boys and girls – to the game of golf by the age of nine.  That is our ‘2000 and Nine’ Ryder Cup pledge’.

Alex Pagett, Managing Director of Corporate Communications at Bank of Scotland said ”We see the Ryder Cup tournament in 2009 as a major catalyst to developing Scotland’s tourism industry with significant benefits to the rest of the economy.

‘This is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to present itself to a worldwide audience and demonstrate the very best it has to offer”.