PGA Catalunya fronts Spain’s 2022 bid

• Girona resort nominated for Ryder Cup role
• Spain one of six countries bidding for match
• “The Stadium Course was built… to one day host the Ryder Cup”

The PGA Catalunya Resort near Barcelona has been nominated by the Spanish Golf Federation to be the host venue of the Ryder Cup should it win the fight to stage the 2022 edition of the match.

Spain is one of six nations bidding for the rights to host the contest along with Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Turkey. Denmark had also expressed an interest only to withdraw from the process earlier this month.

Countries wishing to host the event are being invited to submitted official bids by April 30, with the host nation and venue expected to be unveiled next autumn.

Spain, which became the first country in Continental Europe to stage the Ryder Cup when Seve Ballesteros led the team to victory at Valderrama in 1997, had also bid for the 2018 match before that was ultimately awarded to France.

However, the delegation fronting its bid for the 2022 match is hopeful that the outcome of the latest host venue selection process will fall in their favour.

“Few countries in the world have contributed as much to the development and promotion of European golf as Spain has over the last 30 years,” remarked Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the Real Federación Española de Golf. “Bringing the Ryder Cup to Spain is a central part of our strategy and will continue our proud European Tour heritage.

“From its inception, the Stadium Course was designed and built with the intention to one day host the Ryder Cup.” – Denis O’Brien, Proprietor

“The Ryder Cup’s power to drive participation amongst new players and showcase our world class courses across the globe is unique. We are delighted to have received so much committed support from stakeholders and we look forward to submitting a compelling bid to the European Tour.”

The PGA Catalunya Resort has grown considerably in stature since it opened at the end of 1998 and, as well as three editions of the Spanish Open, its acclaimed Stadium Course has also been used for the Final Stage of European Tour Qualifying School since 2008.

Proprietor Denis O’Brien commented: “From its inception, the Stadium Course was designed and built with the intention to one day host the Ryder Cup. Hosting the 2022 match would be the realisation of this vision.

“We have worked extremely hard and invested significantly in recent years to make PGA Catalunya Resort unique. It is much more than a golf resort; it is a global golf destination.

“We have plans to further develop our courses and luxury property offering to introduce to the world the next generation of golf resort. This bid has our full commitment.”

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor