Gleneagles to host first European Golf Team Championships in 2018

Gleneagles is to host the first European Golf Team Championships as part of the new multi-sport European Championships in 2018.

Europe's elite men and women are set to compete together for the first time.

Glasgow and Berlin are jointly hosting the event, which will be staged every four years, from August 2-12.

It will also combine the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon.

The European Golf Team Championships is the only new event in 2018 and will include a men's and women's event along with a mixed competition.

While Berlin will host the European Athletics Championships, the aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon competitions will be in Glasgow.

The golf will be held 43 miles from the city in Perth and Kinross on the famous resort's PGA Centenary course.

The PGA Centenary is the newest of Gleneagles' three outstanding courses and hosted the Ryder Cup in 2014.

Glasgow City Council leader Frank McAveety said: "The European Championships will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar, set to be played out in front of a potential television audience of up to one billion people."

Gleneagles managing director Bernard Murphy said the course was "proud to be associated with what will be a ground-breaking moment in sporting history".