Ryder Cup 2014: Europe defeat US on pop-up course

EUROPE’S Ryder Cup team have received a good omen ahead of this week’s play after a European team of media members - led by Colin Montgomerie and including The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster - defeated their American counterparts on a pop-up golf course.

Colin Montgomerie heads the participants at the Johnnie Walker experience. Picture: Contributed

The two teams of four were showcasing the four-hole putting course as part the Johnnie Walker Experience, which will be open to the public throughout the Ryder Cup.

After playing on the three Par 2s and a final, trickier, Par 5, those taking part receive a scorecard before sampling some Johnnie Walker whisky and learning about the brand’s history.

All this takes place just a short walk from the action on the Gleneagles course, and local visitors will be hoping this weekend’s European golfers can achieve the same result secured by their former Ryder Cup winning captain.

“I was impressed with the efforts of both teams,” said Montgomerie. “I thought the Americans put up a great fight but some clinical putting saw us home on what were very tricky conditions. Will today’s result be an omen for who will win this weekend? Only time will tell.”

Guy Escolme, global brand director of Johnnie Walker, added: “The Ryder Cup is one of the greatest occasions in the sporting calendar with a global television audience of over 500 million, but we won’t know until Sunday evening if what happened here has any bearing on the final result.

“Paul The Octopus did pretty well in predicting results at the 2010 World Cup and who is to say events at the Johnnie Walker Mini Golf Course won’t anticipate Sunday’s result? We’re excited to find out.”

SEE ALSO

• Ryder Cup 2014: Paul Lawrie’s Gleneagles course guide

• Ryder Cup 2014: PGA professionals’ predictions