By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Long Island has long played second fiddle to glittering New York City but this week will bask in sporting spotlight as America’s best golfers seek redemption against Europe’s elite in the biennial Ryder Cup spectacle at Bethpage Black course.

More than a quarter-million fans from some 40 countries are expected to turn up at Nassau County, with travellers booking hotel rooms two years in advance at double, triple – or even quadruple – the normal rate, according to local tourism experts.

“There’s a tremendous amount of pride in the county, in the community,” said Jaime Hollander, managing director at RRDA, the official tourism agency for Nassau County.

“It’s kind of a dreamy project, especially for somebody who lives here.”

The competition lands a year

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