Ryder Cup 2018 goes to France

May 17, 2011, 11:49 GMT

London - The 2018 Ryder Cup was awarded Tuesday to France.

Le Golf National near Paris was chosen for the biennial Europe versus United States match, beating Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Le Golf National has been the venue for all but two French Opens in the last 20 years.

It will be the first time France has hosted the event, which will be played on mainland Europe for only the second time following the 1997 match at Valderrama, Spain.

There had been calls for a return to Spain in honour of the late Seve Ballesteros, the five-time major winner and who captained Europe to victory in 1997.

George O'Grady, the chief executive of the European Tour, said he did not think awarding the Ryder Cup to France was a missed opportunity.

'Everything that we do is as a European Tour is to honour him. There will be other announcements about Seve coming in the next few months, which will seek to do that,' he said.

The announcement was made at the headquarters of the European Tour at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England after official presentations by the candidates.

Richard Hills, Europe's Ryder Cup director, said there were a number of reasons why the winning bid from France stood out.

'The venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup, Le Golf National, is a truly outstanding golf course providing excellent spectator viewing and the promise of spectacular climaxes to the matches,' he said.

'The French bid has its roots in the very heart of French golf. The tangible support of the overwhelming majority of French golfers, together with significant government support provides a strong foundation for a Ryder Cup which will embrace the whole of France.

'The strong legacy elements within the French bid will ensure that the Ryder Cup can act as a catalyst for introducing a new generation of players to the game.'

The chairman of the French bid, Pascal Grizot, said hosting the competition was 'an honour for our country, for the French Golf Federation and for all private and public partners who have supported our bid.'

He added: 'I would also like to express gratitude to all those European golfing champions, both and present, who have contributed to make the Ryder Cup the spectacular events it is.'

The 2010 Ryder Cup, won by Europe, took place at Celtic Manor in Wales, while the 2012 event will be played at Medinah, Illinois.

In 2014 it moves to Gleneagles, Scotland and in 2016 to the Hazeltine National in Minnesota.