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BMW INTERNATIONAL OPENJune 26, 2009Erwin LangerBernhard LangerEICHENRIED, GERMANY Q. Could you tell me which course will be favourite to stage The Ryder Cup in 2018 if Germany gets the bid? And second question, who do you feel are your chief opponents from the other five countries, please. ERWIN LANGER: I probably answer the first question. We have six golf courses or whatever. BERNHARD LANGER: We have six venues where we would like to have it. ERWIN LANGER: Six in Germany going from north to east and south. And mid-July we have the first official hearing regarding the six venues, and then we will see when we can make a decision about which one we choose going into the bid for The Ryder Cup 2018. BERNHARD LANGER: The second part of the question, I think we have to take all other sides very serious. They are all part of the European continent. They have all been involved in running golf tournaments and I don't want to, you know, say that we are the favorites and we are not going to take it serious. That's not the case. I think all of them are very capable of presenting a very strong case, and we have to do the best that we can do to make the best possible bid. Q. Given your Ryder Cup record and winning Ryder Cup Captain and now that you're right in front with the German bid, do you think that will put you in a stronger position to be given a Ryder Cup? BERNHARD LANGER: You know, it's not up to me to answer that, because it's really up to The Ryder Cup Committee and the people who make that decision. They are going to look at all the bids. Whoever they feel has the strongest bid will get the venue, I believe. I'm not totally certain because I'm not part of that processor that decision making committee. I believe if we can put as good a bid as the others or our strongest opponent, or at least I would like to think that we might get the nod because I've been involved in The Ryder Cup ten times as a player, once as a captain; I've been one of the leading, dominant players for a number of years, and obviously I got a lot back from golf, but I've also given a lot to European golf. I think if we can come up with a similar bid as our strongest opponent, we would hopefully get the nod, like Seve got the nod a few years ago in Spain. Let's look at history, The Ryder Cup has always been played in Great Britain. It has never been anywhere else in Europe except Spain one time -- Q. It was in Ireland. BERNHARD LANGER: To me that's Great Britain and the English part of Europe. So the only way it's ever been on the continent was in Spain and I think Seve was -- it was a tribute to Seve. I don't think it was just the bid of Spain, but again, I'm not certain. I didn't see all the numbers and I didn't see everything else. I know they had a good golf course, but it takes more than a good golf course; we all know that. Q. (Inaudible). BERNHARD LANGER: Well, that might be a small percentage of it. I think if we get the Ryder Cup here in 2018, then it's down to we had a very strong bid and all of the people here at the table and many others, people from the German industry, the politicians that everybody really wants The Ryder Cup. And if they do their part to get it here, I know that I can't get the Ryder Cup here by myself. But I think every extra wheel on the wagon will make a difference. Q. How much are you going to be involved in the decision to decide which course, first of all. BERNHARD LANGER: Well, I think I'm here to support as much as I can. If I need to get involved in that, I definitely will get involved. We'll see how strong; so far, we have six courses that are interested, and we'll have to see if those six are suitable. Q. You're going to visit all six? BERNHARD LANGER: Not at this point, no. They are going to present their case and then the best one or two might be chosen and then if I have to look at it, I will look at it. But there's a lot of capable people. I can basically just make maybe a better judgment on the golf course by itself, but there's a lot of other things. You know, we just talked about the viewing areas for the spectators, the parking, the hotel situation, how many rooms you have and all that kind of stuff. That's just as important. Q. I think you would be 61 if Germany won the bid. Do you think that should rule you out if you're interested in being captain? BERNHARD LANGER: Why do you think I'm in the fitness room all the time? (Laughter). No, I don't know. That's totally up to the tournament committee or The Ryder Cup Committee. Q. They have to know who is available. BERNHARD LANGER: They make the decision who they want as the next Ryder Cup Captain, and I think that's very good. Well, at the time, if they think that I'm still mentally with it and I haven't lost my marbles and I'm still capable of communicating and doing a good job, then you know, maybe so. At this point it's way too early, so we'll see how that goes. Q. Continental Europe was made to wait 21 years after Valderrama for its second one. What do you think of that? BERNHARD LANGER: It's a long time, yes. And I think we always talk about The European Tour, so I think it's high tide or high time that the Ryder Cup comes back to the continent, because it is truly a European event and not a British or Great Britain event. Therefore, I think it's great that The Ryder Cup Committee has made the statement that they will definitely come to the continent. Q. Were you disappointed when they said the next two were in Britain and Ireland or Wales and Scotland? BERNHARD LANGER: They have to go by whatever they have to go by. I'm not sure. I wasn't part of that decision process. But obviously they had some strong bids at the time, and it moved around. It's not like we played at The Belfry, at The Belfry and The Belfry and again at The Belfry. We actually did go to Ireland, we are going to Scotland and we are going to be at Wales. So it's not like we are at the same venue all the time. So that's a good move, but I definitely think it's time to get it back on the continent as well just to also show the European nations or the continental nations that we are a part of this Tour and not just Great Britain and Ireland. End of FastScripts |
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