EVERY player at the rain-soaked Welsh Open has received £1,000 from Celtic Manor bosses as a gesture after two days of the four-day event were washedout.

The Newport resort are now adding-up the cost implications of the event's curtailment due to the weekend's torrential rain.

And new Wales Open champion Paul McGinley (pictured) has given the Celtic Manor a huge boost by saying he's behind its bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2009.

The decision to give each of the 150 players a £1,000-goodwill gesture in addition to their prize-money, meant that the prize-fund was reduced.

The European Tour applauded the £1,000 given to each professional to assist with expenses and said it was "magnificent and unprecedented."

Champion McGinley, who received £125,000 said: "That gesture shows that the Celtic Manor look after players - we appreciated it."

"Over the weekend we have been treated like I haven't experienced before, we've been looked after 110 percent.

Speaking about the resort's Ryder Cup bid, the Irishman said:"They obviously have to do something with the golf course, but I'm sure they'll get it right and I am certainly 100 percent behind Wales.

McGinley's comments will come as a relief to Celtic Manor and tournament officials. Rain on Saturday night forced officials to take the decision to abandon the event and decide it by a play-off.

And although Wales Ryder Cup and Celtic Manor officials remained upbeat there was a fear that the rain might have damaged the resort's chances of hosting the tournament in 2009.

Celtic Manor owner Sir Terry Matthews and Wales' First Minister Rhodri Morgan both said they felt the rain had in no way damaged the resort's Ryder Cup chances. "We've learnt some lessons from this week and we've got eight years to get everything right, including the changes that we are planning to make to the course," said Matthews.