It has just been announced that AFC Wimbledon has been selected as the venue for the 2031 Ryder Cup.
After this week’s aerial photographs showed sandy sink holes appearing on the Plough Lane playing surface, the European Tour handed team golf’s biggest prize to the South West London club, who are understood to have beaten off strong competition from St Andrews and The Belfry.
Ryder Cup organisers are believed to be impressed with the layout and gave the green-light after it was revealed that the 2031 edition would played on a nine-hole Pitch and Putt course, rather than the traditional 18-hole links.
A spokesperson for the Ryder Cup organisation told Paddy Power News: “We are delighted to announce that AFC Wimbledon has been chosen as the European venue for 2031 and are confident that golf fans all over the world will embrace the new format.
“This will see players having to leave their respective caddies back home and having to carry their own clubs – which will be a pitching wedge and putter.”
Here’s a before and after of today’s progress with the pitch. 🎥 #AFCW 🟡🔵 pic.twitter.com/uI6loNBSIN
— AFC Wimbledon (@AFCWimbledon) September 25, 2024
Rory McIlroy was also delighted about the announcement, claiming that he was so confident about being named captain of the 2031 European team, he was already having a “Purpose-built course” installed at his spanking new Florida mansion.
Ian Poulter meanwhile, explained that he was being fitted out for a brand-new pair of navy and yellow Wimbledon-themed trousers to mark the event, complete with Vinnie Jones face on the backside.
The announcement has left a bitter taste in the mouth in certain quarters however, with not everyone being happy with the decision.
Milton Keynes City Council are now set to launch legal action against the European Tour, who they claim, “Reneged on a promised that we would be hosting the 2031 Ryder Cup”.
AFC Wimbledon: Crowdfund passes £100,000 after stadium flood damage https://t.co/JJChScI6iJ
— Dan Roan (@danroan) September 25, 2024
A senior committee member on the council explained that: “We were tipped the wink that we would be hosting the competition earlier this year and we have already signed off on work to commence on a state-of-the-art crazy golf course in the city centre.”
It’s not just this side of the pond where the announcement has had its detractors. Over in the US, world number 1 Scottie Scheffler is understood to be “fuming” with the decision. A spokesperson told us:
“Scottie’s been practising his crazy golf for the past few months. He’s finally perfected the notoriously difficult ‘windmill’ hole and now he’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”
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