Ryder Cup ballot opens

The ticket ballot for next year's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor - the first ever to be staged in Wales - opened on Tuesday.

A second tranche of tickets will be made available in April next year to accommodate fans unable to make an early commitment, but European captain Colin Montgomerie is encouraging supporters to enter the ballot now.

‘I've already made my first official visit and you can sense the excitement with history in the making,’ he said.

‘I've been given the task not just to captain the European team in Wales, but to win back the Ryder Cup in Wales.

‘It will be a close affair - make no mistake about that - but you cannot help other than be inspired by the new and great young talent emerging to blend with the nucleus of the team we already have there.

‘What we need, of course, is strong support, so we will be looking for the fans to get behind us by booking their place now to witness another thrilling chapter in this match.’

The first offer for the match on 1-3 October starts with daily tickets ranging from £30 on the Tuesday and Wednesday practice days to £130 on Sunday, while season tickets for two, four and six days range from £140 to £430.

Applications can be made via the Ryder Cup ticket website and a computerised random lottery draw will place in August.