Here is the Ryder Cup, Rome becomes the capital of golf

by Laura Masiello)

(ANSA) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 24 - "The Ryder Cup in Rome will be the most beautiful ever, it will be a crazy event": the president of Federgolf, Franco Chimenti, is convinced of this, the real architect of the assignment of the prestigious golf competition that from Friday to Sunday, for the first time in its history will be held at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Guidonia. A long wait of 2,846 days from the assignment, in December 2015, also characterized by the postponement of a year (due to Covid-19) of the competition that, day after day, has turned from a dream into reality. Less than a week and the elite of the European green will challenge the American one to win the prestigious Ryder and above all the glory. From tomorrow, with a series of side events, and then from 29 September to 1 October the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the club of the Biagiotti family, will be the beating heart of the challenge that will attract at least 250 thousand spectators from all over the world (fans will arrive from 85 different countries, with requests to secure a ticket received from 140 countries), with an induced that is close to one billion euros. And an important infrastructural commitment, starting with the enlargement, redevelopment and safety of Via Tiburtina since yesterday reality after a long wait of 19 years and the acceleration of work in the iltimi two years just for Ryder. "We cannot lower the tension because, at this stage, our game is played on a million small details", the words of the general manager of the Ryder 2023 project, Gian Paolo Montali, underlining that "the infrastructural interventions are destined to leave a permanent legacy to the whole territory. As a result of the Ryder Cup, after so many years, thanks to the Municipality of Rome, the doubling of Via Tiburtina is a reality for an event that wants to represent a reference model for the future and leave the most beautiful image of Rome and our country". Defined as the third most important sporting event in the media after the World Cup and the Olympics, the Ryder Cup will also represent a spot for Italy and Rome, a candidate to host Expo 2030. Hotels sold out for months, holiday homes unobtainable or at disproportionate prices, tickets pulverized for two years, an impressive organizational machine is ready to get started for the highlight that from Friday to Sunday 1 October will see the United States and Europe challenge for glory. The continental team, united under a single flag (unique case in sport), which has among the vice-captains two blues, the Molinari brothers, Francesco and Edoardo, chases redemption after the net defeat (19-9) of 2021 in Wisconsin. While the American team dreams of a feat that, overseas, has been missing for 30 years and therefore since 1993. Three days of competition, 28 matches for a challenge to the last hole. Only the trophy is up for grabs. No prize pool, no five-figure check, just the honor of victory. Sport, social life and many side events will characterize the week of the Ryder Cup, from the gala dinner in the evocative setting of the Baths of Caracalla (preceded by the official photo of the teams in Trinità dei Monti) to the Junior Ryder Cup scheduled in Sutri and then the final round at Marco Simone ends on Thursday. Waiting for the All Star Match on Wednesday that will see among the protagonists sports champions, from Novak Djokovic to Carlos Sainz, from Gareth Bale to Andriy Shevchenko. And the celebrity match will be attended, among others, two gParalympic olfis: the Italian Tommaso Perrino and the English Kipp Popert, for an appointment also dedicated to social inclusion. At 4 pm on Thursday 28 September, the opening ceremony, hosted by Melissa Satta, will kick off the three days of challenges between the European team, led by Luke Donald, and the American team of captain Zach Johnson (on Friday and Saturday, first game at 7.30 am with extraordinary opening of the metro B at 4 and a half in the morning). Extensive television coverage: the event is expected to be followed by about a billion people with live television in over 170 countries. Thirty-nine broadcasters involved and not only. In Italy, the Ryder will be broadcast live by Sky and Rai. And in issue 3,540 of Mickey Mouse, on newsstands and comics from Wednesday 27 September, there will also be a story dedicated to golf entitled Uncle Scrooge and the revenge of the Wild Card. To bring more and more readers of all ages to this ever-expanding sport, also in the name of "Golf at School", an initiative included in the Ryder Cup 2023 Project, in collaboration with the Istituto per il Credito Sportivo, for which the Italian Golf Federation signed last July a three-year memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education and Merit and the Minister for Sport and Youth. (ANSA).