With the Ryder Cup taking an enforced yet unexpected break due to heavy rain there is time to reflect on an event which is meriting more attention than it may deserve.

For Wales it marks yet another stage in the desire to ensure that the nation is known and respected as a successful host of major sporting events. With the competition now likely to stretch into an extra day the capacity of the Celtic Manor and its surrounding environs to cope will be seriously tested. However, tournament organisers will be delighted with Thursday’s Guardian editorial praising the delights of the Usk Valley, as this is likely encourage future visitors to the facility, which may yet be more important to the Celtic Manor resort and the quality of golf on display in the next seventy two hours.

The legacy for Wales from this sporting mega-event is as yet unknown, however, for the competition the capacity for those involved to over extend its importance appears to have no limits. The national and international media are happy to endorse the hype surrounding the players and their partners, the choice and order of pairings, as well as the motivational techniques being used to ensure that the players perform to their full ability when there is no prize money involved. Yet what is also needed is a level of good humour and human contact which always help to ensure and maintain the vital link between the public, their favourite sports, and their sporting icons who often act as role-models.