Our Community works hard to be selected to host the Ryder Cup Golf 2018, the third biggest sporting tournament in the world. The best players from Europe and the United States face every two years in this prestigious competition whose economic benefits are so lucrative that the struggle between candidate cities escalates every year. Check it visiting
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Severiano Ballesteros, considered by many the greatest golfer in history, will be the ambassador of the campaign in Madrid. He, with the King Juan Carlos I and the regional government, head our candidacy to host the Ryder Cup in 2018. The help of Sebe is a fundamental support for such a close race in which we will measure with five other competitors: France, Germany, Portugal, Holland and Sweden.
It will not be easy, this is the world's third largest sporting event (behind the Olympics and World Cup) regarding to turnover, leading to huge economic benefits for the host country and turning it into a reference in the world of golf. Ireland the venue in 2006, pocketed a whopping 240 million Euros in its economy.
Only once in its history, this competition took place outside the British Isles, it was in 1997 at Valderrama (Cadiz). Ballesteros, five times winner of the Ryder (1985, 1987, 1989, 1995 and 1997, the latter as a player and captain), dreams that 21 years after the Ryder come back to Spain. The decision of the Ryder committee will not be announce until early 2011.
This tournament draws millions of people, which makes it an exceptional tourist platform to publicize Madrid internationally. Furthermore, it is undeniable that an event of this magnitude reactivates the local economy with job creation and tourism.
Spain, clear favourite
So we are making a significant effort to be the best candidate with the development of an ambitious project covering the construction of the best golf courses in Europe. These projects will bear environmental impact in mind as it will be the first ecologic location to host such an important tournament, complying the strict environmental standards ISO and GEO.
The course is located 26 kilometers from Madrid, with excellent access by road and public transport and said that the project includes the construction of two golf courses, one with a medium-high difficulty, that would host the Ryder Cup , and a public character.
Our optimism regarding the final decision can go in crescendo if we trust the numbers: a survey in the UK by Redshift Research puts the choice of Madrid as the favorite in the three main headings: climate, golf and entertainment.
Spain has amply demonstrated its passion for golf, having hosted 152 tournaments on the European Tour, 31 of the European Challenge Tour and 13 of the European Senior Tour. Nine of our players (Seve Ballesteros, José Maria Cañizares, Antonio Garrido, Ignacio Garrido, Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jose Maria Olazabal, Manuel Piñero and José Rivero) and have represented Europe in the Ryder Cup.