There is a growing buzz in the golf community that PGA eyes Bethpage Black in Long Islands to hold the two famous golf events – the PGA championship on 2019 and Ryder Cup on 2024 as reported by Golfweek Monday night. Ted Bishop, the PGA president said the “The PGA is highly interested in having a Ryder Cup and a PGA Championship there. We feel it’s a golf course that’s worthy of both. We’ve been interested in Bethpage going back to 2009.” Though neither Pete Bevacqua, the chief executive of the association, nor Bishop, has not yet formally announced that the major championship and top international match would come to Long Island, both were hopeful that negotiations with state officials would produce a deal. “We’ve had a great relationship with the state of New York, and it’s escalated this week,” Bishop said at Oak Hill. “New York is the greatest sports city in America, and the Ryder Cup is the greatest event in golf.” Pete Bevacqua, PGA’s chief executive, is known having strong New York ties. He was the USGA’s chief business officer when the U.S. Open was last held at Bethpage Black. An announcement could come Tuesday, Golfweek said, although Newsday’s sources said only that the news would be made public soon.
Bethpage Black, the state’s crown jewel course, most recently hosted the Barclays last year, and it is scheduled to return in 2016. Tour players and local pros have expressed their accolades of Bethpage as venue for the Ryder Cup. Bishop, who has made Bethpage one of the priorities of his two-year term, said: “Pete and I played there the first week in June. Every time I am at Bethpage, I love the place even more. So I would hope that we’d be able to get this thing figured out sooner or later.” He recalls that during a Ryder Cup practice with Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler three years ago it was mentioned that Bethpage is one of the of best courses for the matches in America. Bishop even noted Phil saying “Would that not be the best to have the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black?”. Also, Keegan Bradley, a standout for the U.S. team at the Ryder Cup last year, considers the Black his favorite course after having played it regularly when he was at St. John’s. “Ryder Cup to Bethpage Black in 2024. WOW. That will be insane.”, as he tweeted Monday night. Bevacqua, during his stint with U.S. Golf Association when it was preparing to bring the U.S. Open to the municipal facility in 2002, said: “Bethpage is a special place. You know that I’m an unbelievable fan of the Black Course.”
