Sweden is withdrawing from the race to stage the Ryder Cup in 2018.
The European Tour has been negotiating with six European golf federations for the hosting rights. The presence in the world's top 25 of Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson had made Sweden among the favorites to win the contract to be announced in 2011.
However, the Swedish Golf Federation said it was impossible to find sponsors to host European events at Senior Tour, Main Tour and Challenge Tour levels in the years leading up to 2018.
``The Ryder Cup is a fantastic event and it is regrettable that it was not possible to resolve the funding for 2018,'' Swedish bid committee chairman Jacob Wallenberg said Monday. ``However, Sweden needs major events and one of these may be The Ryder Cup. We will work to ensure we can make a new application for 2022.''
Sweden's withdrawal means France and Germany appear to be the favorites. Of the other three candidates, Spain hosted the Ryder Cup at Valderrama in 1997, while neither the Netherlands nor Portugal has a strong history of players involved in the transatlantic tournament.
In the Paris National Golf Club at Versailles - the regular venue for the French Open - France has a well-established course popular among European players and ideally suited for staging a Ryder Cup.
Germany's bid will contain a pledge to build a new course for 2018. It also has a powerful figurehead in Bernhard Langer, who played in 10 Ryder Cups and captained Europe to victory over the host United States at Oakland Hills in 2004.
