Curse of the Ryder Cup? The iconic venues overlooked on the golfing calendar
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By Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent
Whats the legacy for those classes that maintain the Ryder Cup, although they stage the largest golf events in Europe? Why is it that they disappear from relevance after being center of the golf globe soon?
These are questions worth considering that Le Golf National plays host to the Open for the first time since the thumping victory over the United States of the continent just over a year ago.
One thing is for sure, this autumnal running of this oldest national Open in continental Europe wont be as expansive as the French Opens that preceded the 2018 Ryder Cup.
The championship was shifted from a prime position in the schedule in the end of June and its currently worth only #1.4m compared with all the #5.6m purse that was played last year.
Make no mistake, there will continue to be golf on show. The scramble qualify to Dubai finale for the Race to keep trades is intensifying.
And the likes of Jamie Donaldson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer add some stardust.
However, when Alex Noren won he beat a field that included defending champion Tommy Fleetwood giants Jon Rahm along with Sergio Garcia, US celebrity Justin Thomas and Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter.
Bjorn contributes as one of the playing attractions as opposed to main strategist for an extraordinary European triumph to the scene of the tumultuous success of his team.
That 171/2-101/2 triumph created scenes and memories to inspire future generations. The course – set to match the home club – and also also the place around Paris and huge parts played in making an iconic week for golfing.
But it feels as though so many places that staged home games into obscurity for Europe may be followed by Le Golf National. Courses which were once basics on the circuit have faded from significance.
The Ryder Cup was hosted by the Belfry and whatever you think of this program, which does have its founders, the layout from the midlands turned into a significant portion of the cloth of European golfing history.
But the Brabazon Course hasnt staged a Tour event . Celtic Manor in Wales vanished following the Ryder Cup, four decades from the schedule in 2014.
The K Club, which hosted the 2006 match had been the European Open between 1995 and 2007s continuous home. As the Open was held by it, it disappeared from the calendar aside from in 2016.
Gleneagles staged this years Solheim Cup and the 2018 European Team Championships before placing around the 2014 Ryder Cup however its deal died the year.
Only Valderrama (1997 Ryder Cup) in southern Spain has turned into a regular stop for the continents leading players in the aftermath of holding one of the biennial jousts between Europe and the US.
Hence the portents are bad for Le Golf National, especially at a time once this French Opens value has somewhat diminished.
The French Federation signed a 12-year deal that could have taken them through to 2022.
This happened together with the loss of prime host Alstom, however, with Chinese conglomerate HNA a lucrative deal was landed by the European Tour for 2016. The agreement values 25m euros appeared to fasten the event status.
But that deal fell through leaving this historic tournament to justify a location at the tour Rolex Series. So now it sits at this October date detached in the limelight it commanded.
The change of date is acceptable, the largest tournaments ought to have the best dates, Pascal Grizot, president of Frances 2018 Ryder Cup committee, confessed to LEquipe last calendar year.
The European Tour didnt do more to support the championship, but the official questioned. Why didnt they decide to help the French Open and the federation as we were extremely loyal to the Ryder Cup? He asked.
The response comes down to money, such as with other former Ryder Cup venues. Theres money generated to place these areas in the map but it vanishes after the goal of staging golfs largest event has been satisfied.
It might prove a similar storyline for Le Golf National. According to the program of next year the French Open will return to high summer, but there isnt any word on which course will stage the championship nor the magnitude of its own handbag.
Places resonate with golf fans everywhere; K Club The Belfry, Celtic Manor, Gleneagles and potentially Le Golf National are not only places that have carved big places in the folklore of the game.
They also provide proof that business reality leaves very little room for preserving and nurturing that golfing history.
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