Donald Trump says his dream would be to host the Ryder Cup at his £750million golf resort at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.
The property tycoon has vowed to press ahead with the plans for Trump International Golf Links once the proposed European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre is abandoned.
Trump, who recently acquired the illustrious Turnberry in Ayrshire and Doonbeg in Ireland to his burgeoning golf portfolio, is convinced he is winning his fight against the offshore windfarm – and believes when the golf resort is fully completed it will be a fitting venue for golf’s greatest event.
He said: “I said we would build what has the potential to be the greatest course anywhere in the world and we have more than lived up to it.
“I would love to have a Ryder Cup here. Now I have Turnberry, I am viewing this differently and I would be very honoured to get the Ryder Cup here.
“In order to do that I will be building the clubhouse in the not so distant future.
“I held off on that pending the total victory over the windmills and I am winning that.
“As soon as we win the battle, I will build a clubhouse. The course is 7,500 yards and ready to play tomorrow and we can do the clubhouse in one year.”
Despite Trump’s claims the resort could be capable of hosting a major golf event in a year, it would likely be 2026 or 2030 at the earliest before the Ryder Cup could realistically be held at the Menie resort.
The biennial match between Europe and US, which will take place in Gleneagles this September, will be held in France in 2018 and is likely to be staged in Continental Europe again in 2022.
Trump, meanwhile, has set his sights on “tweaking” Turnberry – the iconic Ayrshire links which last staged the Open championship in 2009.
At the top of his agenda is making the signature ninth, 10th and 11th holes even more dramatic – although Trump insists he won’t make any drastic alterations without prior approval from the Royal and Ancient, golf’s governing body.
He added: “Turnberry is a masterpiece but you look at holes nine, 10 and 11.
“They could be moved out into the rocks. I know the Royal and Ancient has been thinking about that for 35 years.
“Those rocks don’t change and you have the great waves crashing in off the sea.
“I actually think Turnberry could have the greatest par 3 in the world if we do that.
“Turnberry has the potential on nine, 10 and 11 to have the most incredible three holes in the world.
“We would look at that. I wouldn’t do anything without the approval of the Royal and Ancient.
“I know the R&A has wanted to take that stretch of great holes and really bring them to an even higher level.
“At Turnberry, we will tweak a great place and it will be little changes.
“What I am also going to do is invest $200million in the hotel and make it incredible.
“In my opinion, part of Turnberry’s majesty is that building sitting on the hill.
“We will look to make that building great again and make it one of the great hotels in the world.
“When you add that to one of the great golf courses, maybe the best golf course in the world, that whole thing is going to be amazing.”