Portugal’s bid to host 2018 Ryder Cup
Portugal has recently launched its bid to host the 2018 Ryder Cup. The current bid is supported by Don Jaime Ortiz-Patiño and António Santana Carlos.
According to latest reports, the Portuguese Ambassador, Carlos, backed up the Portuguese Golf Federation and the Comporta Links Resort project delegation in Wales at the current Ryder Cup event in October. The delegation at the Celtic
Manor Resort met with the top officials of the Ryder Cup and announced their grand plans. The sketch was announced at the media launch at the Ryder Cup grounds.
The informal launch was attended by over 100 reporters from the European as well as the American press. The announcement was specially backed up by Patiño, who is the creator of Valderrama, formerly the venue of the Ryder Cup match
held in the year 1997.
Herdade da Comporta
This is the main base of the Portuguese bid. Herdade da Comporta consists of a €1 billion development taking place in golf and leisure growth. The development is situated near the Comporta village, which is situated on the relaxing Alentejo Coastline.
The golf Club thus situated on this Coastline is a beautiful area built by the famous Tom Fazio. The American designer has combined his American style of golf with the European blend and has thus created an all new Ryder Cup course near the sea.
This is Fazio’s first conception at the European side and is currently the main focus of the Portuguese to make it the third golf destination along the coast. The first two golfing destinations are the Algarve and the Lisbon Coast of the country.
The Development and fame
While the Alentejo Coast has already been initiated in its development, the Portuguese are all prepared in reinforcing the course’s reputation. The best catalyst for increasing the pace of the development and the fame of this course is by attaining a successful
Ryder Cup bid for the year 2018.
While the bid would increase the developmental efforts by some folds, it would play a vital role in furthering the Portugal legacy as well as increasing the profit torrent of the European Tour for many years.
The Portuguese Golf Federation
According to the CEO of the Portuguese Golf Federation, Miguel Franco de Sousa, although they have entered rather late in the bidding practice, the type of proposal they are presenting is something the European Tour, the PGA of Europe, and the PGA, will
find hard to resist.
He stated that the event would directly affect the GDP of the country and will carry an equity-based return. The CEO further compared the Comporta and Wales weather and confirmed that the amount of rain is only 600mm, which remains off land for more than
280 days a year.
Espírito Santo Group:
This course area is owned by the Espírito Santo Group that is the proprietor of one of the largest corporate assemblages in Portugal and the owner of Banco Espírito Santo, which is 2nd largest private bank.
The Santo family has plans on making 2 golf courses, one golf academy, 2 five star hotels, 2 apart hotels and a real estate agency on the 25,000 acres of land they hold, which will contain state of the art facilities following the highest environmental standards.
According to the Chairman of Espírito Santo Tourism, Manuel Fernando Espírito Santo, golf and his family have been directly related to each other for quite some time. He related the World Ladies Amateur Team Championship with the Espírito Santo Trophy and
his Uncle, Ricardo Espírito Santo, holding the Presidents seat of the Portuguese Golf Federation, stated that their support for the Ryder Cup bid will be one of the highest honours.
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