Storm hits Ryder Cup course

If you thought the absence of Colin Montgomerie earth-tremoring across the greens would make for a natural disaster-free Ryder Cup, you were wrong. The Valhalla course received a minor battering from Hurricane Ike last evening. The storm had been downgraded to a tropical depression by the time it hit the Kentucky course, but did cause some slight damage (although probably considerably less than Monty would have).

A television tower was blown over onto the 12th green causing slight damage (and getting closer to the pin than Monty would have) and the on-course media centre had to be closed for safety reasons. “The television tower behind the green was blown over on to the green and caused a couple of small indentations which have already been corrected and repaired,” said tournament director Kerry Haigh. “ The wind has had an effect on other items on the course but we do not yet have a full account. We will have to wait for the wind to die down before we can make a full assessment.”

The weather is expected to have improved by the weekend and there is a good forecast for the start of the tournament.