Ryder Cup 'worth £100m for Scotland'

The 2012 event at Medinah in Illinois is estimated to be worth £150m

Scotland could generate five-times the £20m it is paying to host golf's showpiece Ryder Cup in 2014, it has been claimed.

A Scottish government delegation is in Chicago for this year's event, to promote sport, trade and culture ahead of the 2014 contest at Gleneagles.

The efforts are aimed at attracting as many golf fans to Scotland as possible.

Sport Minister Shona Robison said the overall economic boost from the Ryder Cup could top £100m.

She told BBC Scotland: "For around about a £20m outlay we will be getting hopefully £100m-plus back to Scotland, to the local economy.

"We think that's pretty good value for money."

Despite international economic problems, golf is still seen as bankable business, with estimates that the Chicago economy will make £150m from staging this week's Ryder Cup.

On Wednesday, First Minister Alex Salmond will arrive at Medinah in Illinois, to help push the Scottish marketing campaign to a worldwide TV audience, estimated at 600 million.

VisitScotland has also enlisted Julie Fowlis, the singer who features on the film soundtrack of Brave, and violin virtuoso Nicola Benedetti.

They will be performing at the closing ceremony on Sunday, where the handover will officially recognise Scotland as the Host Nation of The Ryder Cup in September 2014.

Ms Fowlis said: "Performing some of my favourite traditional material with Nicola will be a great experience and we're both really looking forward to playing live out in Chicago.

"Golf is such an important part of Scotland's identity and I am delighted to be able to help promote the country to the world."