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| The De Vere Belfry - Host To The 34th Ryder Cup Matches |
The De Vere Belfry will be celebrating 24 years of playing host to world-class golfers when The 34th Ryder Cup Matches unfold on The Brabazon Course.
The first official tournament to be held on The Brabazon Course was the Hennessy Cognac Cup, a match between Great Britain and Ireland and the Continent of Europe. This was played on September 21-23, 1978. If any one player put the course on the map then it was Severiano Ballesteros, who performed a feat that the designers had deemed impossible.
The Spaniard watched as Nick Faldo, his opponent, hit an iron into the perfect position at the tenth from which to pitch over the water onto the green. Ballesteros reached for his driver and launched the ball into orbit. It was an imperious blow for the ball soared then carried the trees strategically placed to stop such a shot before finishing eight feet from the hole. The hole then measured 310 yards, and a plaque marks Ballesteros's achievement and remains as evidence of the moment when The De Vere Belfry was truly born.
Ballesteros, of course, further enhanced a marvellous career by being the winning European Team Captain at Valderrama in 1997. Coincidentally, Sam Torrance, The European Team Captain, also has wonderful memories of The De Vere Belfry.
Indeed Torrance was a Member of the Great Britain and Ireland Team in 1978 and he launched his week at The De Vere Belfry by overcoming Manuel Ballesteros, Severiano's brother, in the first day singles then linking with Howard Clark to win the opening fourballs. Just for good measure Sam and Severiano met in the singles on the final day. The result? A halved match!
Torrance's finest memory of The De Vere Belfry remains that magical moment in 1985 when, arms aloft, he saluted the putt with which Europe won The Ryder Cup Matches for the first time since 1957.
"I have many fond memories, but that particular moment will stay with me forever," says Torrance. "Nothing else was close, not even my Tour wins. If I could have chosen a venue at which to be Captain then it would have been The De Vere Belfry. I've always enjoyed the place, the course, the atmosphere. And The Brabazon Course has matured superbly over the years into a true examination."
The De Vere Belfry has hosted numerous events on The European Tour International Schedule - most recently the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Benson and Hedges International Open - in addition to The Ryder Cup Matches played in 1985, 1989 and 1993. Work on The Brabazon Course, designed by Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss, began in 1975 and the course was officially opened in 1977.
Now The De Vere Belfry is ready to play host again following nine years of continuous refurbishment and building of the hotel and in particular in the remodelling of The Brabazon Course. There have been many changes with an overall investment in excess of 64 million euro (£40 million) on the complex including 5.6 million euro (£3.5 million) spent on alterations and improvements to The Brabazon Course.
Mike Maloney, the Executive Director of The De Vere Belfry, said: "Dave Thomas has spent six years enhancing The Brabazon Course in a way that it has never been seen before, and our selection for this prestigious event could not have been achieved without the tremendous help received from the local community. I would particularly like to thank all the team at The De Vere Belfry, the local community and The De Vere Plc."
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