Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced Bolton’s intention to host the 2035 Ryder Cup at a purpose-built £240m golf resort in Hulton Park.
The mayor unveiled a substantial transport investment package worth up to £70m, centred on a new M61-M6 link road designed to support the ambitious bid.
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 Greater Manchester Combined Authority has indicated that preparations are already underway to stage what it describes as “the biggest ever Ryder Cup”, with organisers expecting approximately 350,000 spectators to attend.
Tommy Fleetwood, the Southport-born professional who claimed Ryder Cup victories in 2018 and 2023, has thrown his weight behind the Bolton proposal.
Fleetwood said: “As a golfer, a Ryder Cup being in England, first and foremost, would be something special.
“On top of that, to do it in the north-west of England, where I’m from, would be amazing.”
The two-time Ryder Cup winner expressed confidence in the region’s capabilities.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced Bolton’s intention to host the 2035 Ryder Cup at a purpose-built £240m golf resort in Hulton Park
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He added: “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 described the tournament as “the biggest sporting event in the world” and suggested hosting it locally would create memories that would endure “forever”.
The Hulton Park development has faced a turbulent planning journey before reaching this stage.
Bolton Council initially turned down the proposal on environmental grounds, but developers Peel L&P successfully appealed the decision, securing approval from a government inspector in 2022.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has indicated that preparations are already underway to stage what it describes as ‘the biggest ever Ryder Cup’
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The ambitious resort plans extend beyond the golf course itself, incorporating a luxury hotel, lodges and a health club within the grounds.
Designers have configured the course to accommodate crowds of up to 65,000 spectators during tournament play.
The historic parkland was formerly owned by the aristocratic family that served as inspiration for Downton Abbey, though the development attracted criticism when first proposed in 2018, with Bolton-born actor Maxine Peake describing it as “absolute madness fuelled by nothing more than utter greed”.
Bolton’s bid faces competition from two other English venues seeking to end the country’s lengthy absence from hosting duties.
Tommy Fleetwood, the Southport-born professional who claimed Ryder Cup victories in 2018 and 2023, has thrown his weight behind the Bolton proposal
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London Golf Club in Kent and Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire are both pursuing the 2035 hosting rights, setting up a three-way contest for the prestigious event.
Should Bolton succeed, it would mark England’s first Ryder Cup since The Belfry in Warwickshire staged the tournament in 2002, ending a drought of more than three decades.
The Belfry has hosted the competition on four occasions, more than any other venue in Europe or the United States.
The north of England has not welcomed the Ryder Cup since 1977, when Royal Lytham & St Annes in Lancashire provided the setting for a young Nick Faldo to face American legends Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.