Bolton bids to host 'biggest ever' Ryder Cup

Bolton is bidding to become the first English host of golf's Ryder Cup in more than 30 years.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced a funding package, with a focus on infrastructure around a new golf course, to support the bid to host the event in 2035, including a new £70m M61-M6 link road.

Burnham said the bid was "not pie in the sky", and there had been "promising conversations" with organisers about "bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world-class course at Hulton Park".

Southport's Tommy Fleetwood, professional golfer and Ryder Cup winner, said it would be "incredible" to bring "the biggest sporting event in the world" to the north-west of England.

Burnham said: "We're deadly serious about it. We believe we can land [the Ryder Cup] and now it's a case of putting in a firm bid next month and hopefully a decision soon."

The announcement came as part of the latest round of funding for projects aimed at growing Greater Manchester's economy, with Greater Manchester Combined Authority saying the region was preparing to host "the biggest ever Ryder Cup".

If the Bolton bid was successful it would be the first time in more than 30 years that the event is staged in England.

The Ryder Cup takes place every two years and sees 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head over three days in match play competition.

The two continents take it in turns to host the event.

Bolton Council leader Nick Peel told BBC Radio Manchester that hosting the Ryder Cup would bring big benefits.

"The lasting boost for our local economy will be huge and, of course, we've also had the announcement of £70m to help deliver Park Avenue, the new phase of the M61- M6 link road which will be absolutely crucial for that part of Bolton."

Burnham said hosting the event could not happen "without major investments in infrastructure in the area".

He said he would now ask Chancellor Rachel Reeves to accelerate the delivery of more frequent and modern trains on the Atherton line, invest in better rail stations and speed up work to connect the area to the Metrolink network.

The current world number three Fleetwood was part of the Europe team that lifted last year's Ryder Cup and he is backing the bid to bring the event to the region.

"As a golfer, a Ryder Cup being in England, first and foremost, would be something special," he said.

"On top of that, to do it in the north-west of England, where I'm from, would be amazing."

"We have so much to offer, the people have a lot to offer, the infrastructure has a lot to offer, and I think it would be something that would be incredible," Fleetwood added.

He said the Ryder Cup was the "biggest sporting event in the world", adding if it came here "we'd remember it forever".

Two golf courses in England vying for the 2035 event are the London Golf Club in Sevenoaks, Kent, and Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire.

The last time the event was held in England was at The Belfry in Warwickshire in 2002.

There has been opposition to the golf course plan, which previously included building 1,000 homes and a by-pass around Westhoughton.

Westhoughton-born actress Maxine Peake was among the campaigners against it, describing it as a "housing project in golf clothing".

But Burnham told the BBC it was his understanding that any housing plan would now be subject to a separate planning proposal on merit and did not form part of the golf course scheme.

"Obviously, there's the concern about green space, but a golf course does preserve a lot of green space and provides routes for people through it," he said.

The funding announcement also included new cycling and walking routes, and new bus routes to the Ryder Cup site.

The park forms part of an estate owned for more than 700 years by the Hulton dynasty.

After falling into neglect, it was bought by Peel L&P in 2010.