The 35th Ryder Cup Matches will be played on the Oakland Hills Country Club’s South Course in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 14th – 19th September 2004.
“Oakland Hills Country Club is synonymous with championship golf and plays a critical role in the history and tradition of the game,” said PGA of America President Jack Connelly. “The state of Michigan and its sports fans provide the perfect backdrop for the 35th Ryder Cup Matches with its more than 800 public golf courses — more than any state in the nation.”
“Metro Detroit’s selection as a host community for this competition is one of the greatest honours for our region and state, and it complements our other marquee sporting events like Super Bowl XL in 2006 and the 90th PGA Championship in 2008,” said Larry Alexander, president of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re already experiencing the benefits, with 45,000 hotel room nights pre-booked in the region for 2004.”
Beyond the honour of hosting one of the most prestigious events in sports, metro Detroit will enjoy a number of benefits from hosting the 2004 Matches, including:
Economic impact expected to reach $150 million
Global visibility with 127 million international television viewers in 76 countries and territories
Media exposure with 1,000 accredited journalists from 18 countries attending in person
The Oakland Hills Country Club was established in 1916 by renowned golf course architect Donald Ross. Oakland Hills has hosted six U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, two U.S. Senior Opens, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateurs and the Western Open. Three Oakland Hills professionals – Walter Hagen, Al Watrous and Mike Souchak – were members of U.S. Ryder Cup teams.
PGA of America www.pga.com