HOPES are high that European golfing authorities may bring the prestigious Seve Trophy back to the North-East.

Following the successful staging of the 2005 event at The Wynyard Club there is support for European golf's top team matchplay event finding its "spiritual home" at the course.

Although it has alternated from Continental Europe to Britain and Ireland in recent years, there is no rule to say the event cannot be staged at the same venue again when next played, in September 2007.

More than 30,000 paying spectators, plus large numbers of corporate guests and under-14s, who were admitted free, swelled the overall attendance to an estimated 40,000 at Wynyard over the four days of the match, plus the eve of competition pro-celebrity tournament.

The trophy, which Britain and Ireland came from behind to win by five points, was viewed in 25 countries in up to 130-million homes, giving not only the course, but the region, massive international exposure, to the delight of development agency One NorthEast, which backed the event.

It found favour with the founder, the man who gave his name to the trophy, Spanish golfing great Seve Ballesteros.

He said: "The truth is that this has been a very successful event.

"I would be happy to have it here again. The course is good, the people show up, and the atmosphere is great.

"The British people have a great understanding of the game.''

John Collard, media director of the Seve Trophy, said there is every chance that the event, held every two years, may return to Wynyard, possibly as soon as 2007.

He said everyone at Amen Corner, the company led by Ballesteros, was delighted at how well things have gone in recent days.

"Seve has said he would like it to come back,'' he revealed.

"If the top man in Amen Corner is saying that if it's possible, then it's a very good sign, particularly if the region wants it to come back.

"There is no venue or location set for it. What Amen Corner can say is that they have received bids for the next one.

"Everything will be taken into account, but they will be talking to One NorthEast to reflect on the impact of the event."

Collard said the feedback from players, spectators and the PGA European Tour, which sanctioned the event, was all positive.

"The European Tour told me it was one of best events on the tour this year in terms of exposure," he added.

Gary Munro, Wynyard managing director, said he feels the "underlying current" is for the tournament to return to the course.

He said the European Tour has made it clear it wants to work with the club again.

"The Seve Trophy is a relatively new event and its looking for a spiritual home, like Wentworth always has the World Matchplay Championship.

"The European Tour and Amen Corner have been so impressed with what we've achieved.

"It's a great credit to everyone. The partnership of Wynyard and One NorthEast will be discussing the pros and cons to see how we can improve in future.

"We will be talking to the European Tour because we want to have top quality golf here."

A spokesman for One NorthEast said last night: "This year's event was a fantastic success and showed the North-East in the most positive light.

"We would be interested, as an agency, in talking to the authorities to help bring the event back as soon as possible, maybe even in 2007."

* Thomas Bjorn is to miss this week's Dunhill Links championship in Scotland after being taken to hospital on his return home from the Seve Trophy.

The Ryder Cup Dane, runner-up in last month's US PGA championship, complained of throat and ear trouble before his singles defeat to David Howell and missed the closing ceremony.

After flying back to London an ambulance was called, a spokesperson for his management company said, and Bjorn, suffering from what is thought to be a viral infection, is being kept in hospital for 48 hours for observation.

Missing this week's event is a big blow to his hopes of winning the European Order of Merit for the first time.