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Last Update: 2 June, 2008 9:38 AM

02/07/2007
TEEING OFF - THE 2010 CELTIC MANOR RYDER CUP COURSE REVEALED

Features
Author: Gary Baker

HERE are some of the first views of the complete 2010 Ryder Cup course at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport - and here, the 18th hole (pictured) is where the trophy will be presented in three years time.

Some people at this year's Wales Open were given a guided tour of the 18-hole course which is to test the best, such as Tiger Woods, in just over three years time.

The 18 holes have been dramatically altered from the Wentwood Hills course in that it is nowhere near as steep and has a new clubhouse almost completed just on the side of the last.

It measures 7,459 yards in length and cost £16 million to re-model for the best of Europe and the USA to challenge on.

The project to reconstruct the course, which has nine new holes, was led by Celtic Manor vice president of facilities and development Russell Phillips and has just been completed.

The course will open in July before the clubhouse is opened in october at a special launch event.

Six holes on the course have potential water hazards while the 14th, a par four. (pictured) has a testing 300-plus drive across a lake or a tough second shot from a lay-up on the side.

Meanwhile, the ninth is the longest hole on the course and, although it is still a par five, it measures 666 yards, one of three which are over the 600 yard mark.

And the course tests players right to the limit and to the very last shots.

The 18th is one of the toughest approaches. For this par five, there is water in front of the green and a steep bank beyond that. So, the Celtic Manor assures us, this bank will be mowed down to almost a crew-cut hairstyle and will be so smooth for the Ryder Cup that, if you fall short of the green, you will almost certainly end up back in the water.

Meanwhile, the green itself is tight and surrounded by bunkers, making this one of the trickest holes around.

And the players will know exactly what the crowd think about their 18th approaches on the dramatic days in September when the tournament is played as the spectator viewpoints are magnificent.

The Ryder Cup officials expect around half-a-million people to pass through the gates of the Celtic Manor during the four days that the tournament is on while Sir Terry Matthews, the Resort's chairman and founder, believes around £100m will be brought into the Welsh economy due to the staging of this 'World Cup' of golf.

The culmination of Sir Terry's dream of bringing the world's most famous golf tournament to Wales for the first time, could be sunk on that 18th by Tiger Woods, Colin Montgomerie or even Wales' own Bradley Dredge as the crowds roar around the course on what is sure to be a dramatic four days of Ryder Cup action.

(Pictured: The Ryder Cup lakes that will form the big water features at the 2010 event)

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