Alex Salmond delivers good luck message to European Ryder Cup team

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has personally delivered a good luck message to the European Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal for next month’s competition at Medinah in the United States.

Mr Salmond attended the formal announcement of the European team at Gleneagles, home of the 2104 Ryder Cup, the day after top Scot Paul Lawrie won the Johnnie Walker Championship.

The First Minister also announced that he would lead a Scottish delegation to Medinah, Illinois, next month to receive the formal handover of responsibility for the hosting of the 2014 tournament, due to be staged at the Gleneagles course. 

He said: “There is no better setting for this extremely important team announcement than the very course where just yesterday Scotland’s own Paul Lawrie secured his place on the 2012 Ryder Cup team - and also the very course where the US and Europe will battle it out in two years’ time.

“I am extremely proud to announce that I will lead a delegation to the historic Medinah Country Club near Chicago next month to cheer on the European team and also to attend the official handover ceremony when Scotland and Gleneagles will step forward and take on the mantle of hosting the 2014 Ryder Cup.”