Ryder Cup Has Golf Spotlight On Minnesota

CHASKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- It's all eyes on Minnesota for professional golfers and their fans.

With the major tournaments wrapped up, the upcoming Ryder Cup in Chaska is all the buzz. WCCO's Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield discovered how organizers are completely transforming Hazeltine National Golf Club.

The signs are up as a city of 24,000 gets ready to host 250,000 golf fans.

"There's a lot of people involved in helping us execute really the world's largest operational golf event," Ryder Cup Director Jeffrey Hintz said.

The corporate tents are up, the player's chalets are in place. Internal construction is underway on the soon-to-be luxury accommodations. And fans will look snazzier than ever.

"For the first time, the PGA of America is going to be selling the team uniform that the team will be wearing - to the public," Hintz said.

They are already proudly displayed for sale in the clubhouse. The greens will also be aesthetically pleasing.

"They actually have to play off of a little mat, which will hopefully make us divot-free," Chandler Withington said.

Every fairway shot looks like this mat until members will have to suspend play.

"On September 6, there's no play which is a superintendent's dream really to have three-and-a-half weeks of no play and he can get the course ready to go," Withington said.

The roster will be official on Sept. 12, and the best will unite as a small town becomes a world stage.

Even though Hazeltine is a private course, the public is welcome to come out and see what's going on and, of course, buy some merchandise.

The Ryder Cup tees off Sept. 27. There are still several hospitality tickets available. They start at $700 apiece.