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• Drive to increase women in golf remains in full swing

  Increasing female participation levels in golf shows the sport is in a positive place – but the drive for sustained growth in membership levels at clubs still has a way to go, according to women and girls manager at England Golf, Lauren Spray.

  The number of women taking to golf courses around the UK more than tripled during the Covid-19 pandemic with nearly 1.5 million women playing at least one full round of golf that year.

  However, only 13 per cent of club members are female. The average age of a female member is 64 – which is 10 years higher than that of a male member.

  As part of the continuing drive to increase participation, particularly at grassroot level, England Golf, the national governing body for amateur golf, has introduced initiatives such as Women on Par and Girls Golf Rocks, which encourages beginner girls aged five to 18 to learn and play golf in a fun and friendly way.

  Spray feels the work in breaking down barriers for girls and women to take up golf, as well as overcoming views that it is a male sport, are central to championing female participation.

  “Golf was one of the first sports to return back (during the pandemic) and in terms of having that accessibility to the sport, we have had a lot more women join because their lifestyle and habit changes have been impacted,” Spray told the PA news agency.

  “We have had a lot more younger women joining the sport and starting to get playing more confidently, getting out onto the golf courses, retaining scores and becoming members of golf clubs as well.

  “Even in the last six months we have seen an increase in the number of affiliated members, but also across the sport playing at different levels of participation – whether that is going to a crazy golf facility or a driving range – there are many more women and girls taking part at each level of the game, which is great to see.

  “The sport is in quite a healthy position. Obviously we have got a way to go in terms of having more women and girls into membership, but in terms of actually playing the sport it is in a positive place really. We are still continuing to grow and we are going in the right direction.”

  English duo Georgia Hall, Women’s British Open champion in 2018, and Charley Hull, ranked number eight in the world, are both part of Europe’s Solheim Cup team taking on the United States in Spain.

  Spray hopes the next generation of women golfers can be inspired to make a difference, both on and off the course.

  “It’s not necessarily all about just playing the game – there are lots of careers within the sport as well where you can also make a difference and to challenge those misconceptions around the sport,” she said.

  “Yes, there are more men that play the sport – but we are trying to make it more and more welcoming for women and girls to play.

  “Through our Girls Golf Rocks programme, which targets girls who are beginners to come into the sport and learn in a girls-only coaching programme, they are supported by existing girl golfers as well who act as our peer role models and ambassadors to support them into the sport.

  “There are lots of opportunities – it is just about making them aware of them and seeing that this sport is for them too.”

• On This Day in 2008 – United States end European dominance with Ryder Cup win

  The United States ended Europe’s dominance to win the Ryder Cup for the first time in nine years on this day in 2008.

  Paul Azinger’s team claimed victory by an emphatic 16.5–11.5 score at Valhalla Golf Club, with Jim Furyk hitting the winning point on the 17th to beat Miguel Angel Jimenez.

  It ended Europe’s run of winning three consecutive Ryder Cups and left team captain Nick Faldo facing plenty of scrutiny for his controversial picks on the final day in Kentucky.

  The USA established a lead from the morning foursomes on Friday and concluded day one with a three-point lead following the afternoon four-ball.

  An evenly contested day two saw America hold a 9-7 advantage at the end of Saturday going into the singles matches on Sunday.

  Europe team captain Faldo decided to bottom-load his best players for the Sunday singles, with Padraig Harrington, the Open and USPGA champion, held back for the last match.

  Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were amongst the last groups out at Valhalla.

  It backfired badly for Faldo with Anthony Kim beating Sergio Garcia in the opening singles before Kenny Perry, Boo Weekley and JB Holmes got USA on a winning streak.

  It left the fate of the Ryder Cup down to Furyk, who beat Jimenez two and one to ensure America got their hands back on the trophy with McDowell, Poulter, Westwood and Harrington still out on the green.

  “We are talking about fractions between these two teams. If we could get it to the last four guys – that was the risk I guess we took,” Faldo reflected.

  “We gave our heart and soul. The golf was fantastic and this particular week they have done us. Everybody has given 100 per cent and that’s all you can do.”

• Ryder Cup by the numbers

  Europe take on the United States in the Ryder Cup in Rome from September 29.

  Here, the PA news agency takes a statistical look at the contest.

  3 – this year’s renewal at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club is only the third time the competition has been staged in continental Europe, following 2018 in Paris and 1997 at Valderrama.

  44 – it is the 44th staging of the Ryder Cup overall.

  27 – wins for the United States, who dominated 18-3 against Great Britain and Ireland up to 1977 but trail 11-9 in the modern-day contest against Europe. There have been two ties, in 1969 and 1989.

  14 1/2 – points required to win the trophy outright. America would retain the trophy with a 14-14 draw.

  12 – American Phil Mickelson holds the record for the most Ryder Cup appearances.

  28 1/2 – Europe’s Sergio Garcia has won the most points in the event’s history. He is also the only teenager to play in the contest.

  6 – holes in one in Ryder Cup history, the first in 1973 by Peter Butler and the most recent in 2006 by Scott Verplank – the only American to achieve the feat – and Europe’s Paul Casey.

  8 & 7 – the record margin of victory in an 18-hole match, by Americans Tom Kite over Howard Clark in 1989 and Fred Couples over Ian Woosnam in 1997. The European record is 7 & 5.

  15 – Spanish duo Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal played as a Ryder Cup pairing on a record 15 occasions, winning 12 points.

  6 – the USA team contains six of the world’s top 10. That includes number one Scottie Scheffler, although Europe have the next three in the rankings in Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland.

  81 – Europe’s Nicolai Hojgaard is the lowest-ranked player in Rome, one place lower than Europe team-mate Ludvig Aberg. Rickie Fowler, at 25, is the lowest-ranked American.

  16 – world number 16 Cameron Young is the highest-ranked player to miss out on this year’s event.

  10 1/2 – points won by both captains in their respective playing careers. Europe’s Luke Donald played 15 matches across four European wins in 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2012 while American skipper Zach Johnson played 16 times in five appearances from 2006 to 2016.