Contrary to calls from the Ballesteros family, potential 2018 Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke expects the European Tour will not play the Seve Ballesteros sympathy card when the winning host nation is announced next Tuesday.
Darren Clarke trusts Tour not to play Seve sympathy card at next Tuesday's 2018 Ryder Cup host announcement.
France, Germany, Holland, Portugal and Spain are vying for the rights to stage the biennial competition between Europe and the USA.
Portugal seemed favourites before their financial problems, but many golf fans feel that France, with their superb National course outside Versailles that host the French Open every year, deserves to win Tuesday’s vote.
And with Paris only a short distance away and the use of the stunning Versailles Palace for official functions, Clarke favours France ahead of handing the event to Spain again after the 19097 Ryder Cup was held at Valderrama.
“It’s going to be tough for the Ryder Cup committee,” said Clarke at the Iberdrola Open in Majorca.
“But that National golf course in France was built for a Ryder Cup. Besides, Spain has 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.”
Ballesteros’ family made an emotional plea for the event to be awarded to Madrid, as a mark of respect for the Spanish legend.
Seve’s brother Baldomero 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.”
However French star, Thomas Levet 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,” said Levet.
“If you have to do something for Seve, you have to do it now like changing the Tour logo.”
