The decision on whether Catalonia will host the Ryder Cup 2031 is postponed. It will not be made immediately. As announced by the Ten Golf’s Provisional Ball podcast, a summit has taken place this week in which, theoretically, it was going to be decided whether the project of the Camiral Golf and Wellness in Caldes de Malavella was going ahead or if it was finally being discarded. Well, after two days of meetings (Tuesday and Wednesday) held at the Catalan resort itself with all the parties involved, they have decided to give themselves more time.
The fundamental work that has been done during these two days has been inspection. The technicians of Ryder Cup Europe, with the boss Guy Kinnings at the head, have analysed the details of the new project that Catalonia has put on the table to try to organise the third most internationally impactful sporting event. Remember that the policy, through the Generalitat, denied permission for the construction of a third course in Camiral, which was associated with a real estate promotion, and which would be the venue for the Ryder in 2031.
This refusal seemed to ruin Catalonia’s chances, as the resort’s owner, the Irish billionaire Dennis O’Brien, was willing to fund the Ryder Cup on the condition that they allowed him to build that third course. It seemed that the dream of the Ryder in Girona was completely fading, but a new possibility opened up. Organising the Ryder with what is already in Camiral, specifically with a project that would create a new course by joining nine holes of the Stadium course (the main course) and another nine of the Tour.
This new project, among other things, is what the European Circuit technicians have been inspecting. Now it will be time to make a report in which new requests and demands for Camiral Golf and its owner Dennis O’Brien will surely come out and it will have to be seen if they are willing to assume them. This will be the final exam that will decide if the Ryder Cup 2031 is finally held in Catalonia.
Madrid and Bilbao are waiting to see what might happen. The two cities have expressed their interest and determination to host the Ryder Cup in eight years in case the Camiral bid is finally discarded. We will know that in a few days. First there will be a report, then some demands and finally a response from Camiral that, now yes, should be definitive.
