Rome will become only the third Ryder Cup host from Continental Europe after Italy pipped Germany, Spain and Austria on Monday (December 14) in the bidding race to stage the 44th edition of the matches in 2022.
The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, situated 17km from the centre of the Italian capital, is to follow in the footsteps of Valderrama, Spain in 1997 and Le Golf National, on the outskirts of Paris, in 2018.
There were initially seven bidders but Denmark, Portugal and Turkey withdrew their interest in the early stages.
“Well, after much deliberation and four terrific bids, it was a unanimous decision by the board, and by the Ryder Cup executive team, thet the 2022 Ryder Cup would be awarded to Italy and Marco Simone Golf Course, which is just ten miles (17km) from the heart of Rome, obviously one of Europe’s greatest cities,” said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley from their headquarters at Wentworth Golf Club near London on Monday.
The tour added that it was particularly pleased by the pledge to undertake a complete reconstruction of Marco Simone to meet the highest standards demanded by the matches.
Costantino Rocca was the first Italian golfer to play in the Ryder Cup, at The Belfry in England in 1993 and was part of the team that won back the trophy in 1995. The Molinari brothers, Francesco and Edoardo, also made successful debuts in the matches at Celtic Manor in Wales in 2010.
The next edition of the biennial team event will be held at Hazeltine, Minnesota in September 2016 while Whistling Straits, Wisconsin is to stage the matches in 2020.
Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups against the United States. (Reuters)