It was the final hurdle. We cleared the hurdle. It's a great win for Wales

Sir Terry Matthews

The Welsh bid to host the mammoth sporting event for the first time was secured through years of preparation by "Team Wales", combining a private and public partnership.

Matthews, who staked a huge slice of his personal fortune in developing the site so that it could fight against five Scottish venues and one from northern England, admitted he had made a last minute change of heart over the size of the bid.

"Bumping up the value of the bid was crucial before the final document," he said.

"It was the final hurdle. We cleared the hurdle.

"It's a great win for Wales,"

The task now is to translate the initial success of winning the bid into economic benefits for the country in the run up to the 2010 competition, he said.

Welsh joy at the decision to host the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor in Newport has been matched with Scottish bitterness - although Scotland is to host the 2014 event - and claims of cheque-book lobbying.

Sir Terry: Overcame hurdle

First Minister Rhodri Morgan has welcome the win as "wonderful news for Wales".

Boasting a worldwide audience of 435 million, there are hopes the tournament will prove a long-awaited tonic to an area of south Wales laid low by steel job cuts and the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The third biggest sporting event in the world, will follow the 1999 Rugby World Cup, FA Cup and Worthington Cup finals just 12 miles away in Cardiff.

Scotland which last hosted the competition in 1973 had been early favourites to stage the prestigious contest.

Criticism and anger has been voiced by SNP members and Conservatives who argue that commercial interests have unduly influenced the selection process.