The start of qualifying for 2014 Ryder Cup will be brought forward a week to the August 29th commencing ISPS Handa Wales Open at Celtic Manor – and all due to rival Swiss watch-makers.
Rolex is the official watch of the European Tour and also the Ryder Cup when it is staged in Europe.
However for more than a decade European Ryder Cup has commenced at the Omega sponsored European Masters in Switzerland.
Ryder Cup sponsor Rolex appearing h2igh in promotion for the 2012 Ryder Cup. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
The Wales Open has been purposely moved from it’s normal May date to the end of August no doubt as a Tour ‘thank you’ following the hosting of the 2010 Ryder Cup.
However the Tour will also want to avoid any further embarrassment between Rolex and Omega as evident at Gleneagles last year when livid Omega Ambassador, Greg Norman was asked to leave room ahead of the Ryder Cup announcement of the two ‘wildcard’ picks for Medinah.
Norman is a long time friend and colleague of Jose Maria Olazabal and was present at Gleneagles to host an outing for Johnnie Walker but due to inclement weather was in the hotel sheltering from the rain. The Australian simply sought to sit quitely at the back of the room. However he turned livid when asked to leave.
Rolex had also withdrawn Norman from the Senior Open Pr0-Am earlier in the year given the Australian’s affiliation with Omega.
Strangely, when the European Tour travelled to Medinah the official watch of the PGA of America, as US hosts of the Ryder Cup, is Omega.
However at this stage it is not known when the 12-month long European Team qualifying process will end given the 2014 Johnnie Walker Championship is being suspended for one year to save the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup.
