Henry McLeish: Led Scotland's bid

He said the world of golf may have some searching questions to pose to the Ryder Cup board.

The decision to award the 2010 match to Celtic Manor near Newport - and to a course which is not built in its entirety yet - was greeted with dismay in Scotland.

It was claimed that a subsidiary company of the European Tour, which awarded the match, had won a �12m contract to redesign the Celtic Manor course to bring it up to Ryder Cup standard.

Bank of Scotland, which was underwriting the Scottish bid to the tune of �6m, said: "We should have been told at the start that the biggest chequebook would win."

The world of golf may have some searching questions to pose of the committee but as far as I'm concerned I got what I was after for Scotland.

First Minister Henry McLeish

Nationalists and Tories complained that the European Golf Tour was in favour of the Welsh bid from the beginning because of unfair commercial considerations.

Mr McLeish said it had been clear from media coverage and from comments made within the golf establishment that "this was going to be an uphill struggle because there certainly appeared to be some people who viewed Scotland with misgivings".

"That said, at that point, I was absolutely determined to push further, put more pressure on and to ensure they could not walk away from Scotland's bid.

"The world of golf may have some searching questions to pose of the committee but as far as I'm concerned I got what I was after for Scotland.

"The nation should take some credit for that. Obviously, I have mixed feelings because 2010 would preferable but we now build on towards 2014."

Commercial considerations

Turnberry, Carnoustie, Gleneagles and Loch Lomond in Scotland had bid for the tournament, originally due to take place in 2009.

A spokeswoman for Gleneagles said they were "honoured" to be awarded the tournament in 2014.

Executive director of the European Tour, Ken Schofield, said: "The reality today is that Scotland will host the 2014 Ryder Cup matches and they will be hosted at Gleneagles Hotel who, together with their parent company, have been long and strong supporters of professional golf - and quite frankly we are delighted for them."

Mr Schofield, who lives in Perthshire, dismissed suggestions that the bidding process had not been conducted on a level-playing field.

Ken Schofield: "Good faith"

He said: "I think we would stand by our decision in good faith."

In the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish National Party tabled a motion calling for the Scottish Executive to disclose full working documents and proposals for the Ryder Cup bid.

SNP MSPs want an analysis detailing the reasons why the bid was unsuccessful.

SNP shadow education, culture and sport minister Michael Russell MSP said: "There was a clear consensus within Scotland supporting the considerable efforts being made to bring the 2010 Ryder Cup competition here.

"There are strong suggestions that Scottish courses were not competing for the tournament on a level playing field with the Celtic Manor course in Wales."

Scotland's �24m bid was unveiled on 26 October last year and included a pledge to introduce every child to the sport by the age of nine.

The Scottish Executive projected that the tournament would be worth an estimated �67m to the economy, as well as boosting the lucrative market of golf tourism.