Leading French golfer Thomas Levet disagrees with the brother of the late Seve Ballesteros who’s called on the European Tour to honour Ballesteros’ memory in handing Spain the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Thomas Levet declaring Tour 'wrong' to honour Seve with award of 2018 Ryder Cup.

The European Tour will announce next Tuesday at Tour HQ in Surrey the winning candidate nation to host the Ryder Cup in six years time.

Five nations – France, Germany, Holland, Portugal and Spain – are vying for the rights to stage one of sport’s greatest showpieces.

Most agree, France presents the best bid but the French fear Portugal despite the Portuguese economy in tatters.

Against Spain being handed the honours is the fact the country hosted the biannual event in 1997 at Valderrama where Ballesteros led Europe to a one point success.

Ballesteros was patron of the Spanish bid at the time of his death and his brother Baldomero has invoked the legend of El Cid, the 11th century nobleman who was supposed to have inspired his troops to one final victory when his corpse was strapped to his horse after he died in battle.

“I wish that, like El Cid, Seve wins the last battle after his death,” said Baldomero.

“I appeal to the sensitivity of the Ryder Cup Committee to agree that the greatest honour that could be bestowed on Seve is to award the competition to Spain.

“It would have made my brother very happy, for it was one of his dreams.”

But Levet, who naturally wants to see France host the event, disagrees.

“It would not be a good thing to give the Ryder Cup again to Spain because of Seve and besides, you should not be showing your appreciation for Seve in eight years time,” Levet told Reuters in Majorca where he is contesting the Iberdrola Open.

“If you have to do something for Seve, you have to do it now like changing the Tour logo.”

Supporting Levet is Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who could very well be Europe’s captain for the2018 Ryder Cup.

“It’s going to be tough for the Ryder Cup Committee as we are now a genuine European Tour and we have representation from nearly every country in Europe,” said Clarke.

“But that National golf course in France was built for a Ryder Cup, and it’s just a sensational venue, and then you’ve Paris as the backdrop.

“Besides Spain’s already had the Ryder Cup and also, I wouldn’t expect the Tour to choose Spain just because Seve passed away.  So I can’t see the Tour playing the emotional card.”