Golf, off to the 80th Italian Open with a view of the Ryder Cup

ROME – It’s a room with a view Ryder end of September, this 80th edition of theGolf Italian Open. On the course, the premonitory signs of the mega-event dominate the scene: the monumental grandstand already set up on the starting tee of the first hole will be very little frequented in these free days of the tournament, but will overflow with an international public on 29 September when the first ball of the Europe-USA challenge will take flight. And another imposing structure will be erected at 6 pm, once the days of the Open have finished, in addition to the various other minor (but not too much) grandstands scattered along the course of the Mark Simon.

But the prospect of September also occupies the thoughts and words of the main protagonists from Thursday to Sunday. Luke Donald, the Team Europe captain arrived in Rome well in advance to enjoy it as a tourist. He and his family (which he brought with him) are in love with it and in their journeys in the Capitoline never miss a stop at the local ice cream parlors, which they adore. How can you blame him, after all? But Ryder, in fact, is omnipresent in the declarations on the eve: “I played here last year – said Donald at the press conference – and I find it a beautiful and fun field. We made some changes to make it even more “tricky “, insidious, and something else we will change. We must exploit the advantage of playing at home and accommodate the characteristics of European players more than those of the Americans.” Translated, it means narrower fairways, higher rough (that is, the areas of uncultivated grass that trap less accurate shots) and slightly slower greens, since the Yankees are used to faster ones.

Will there be an Italian in Ryder?

It is useless to try to snatch a glimmer of hope from the Captain about the possible call-up of Italian players. Whether it is Francis Molinari (absent here because busy in America) or of Guido Migliozzi, who will instead start his climb attempt from here, only the results can help them. For Francesco, a return to lost continuity would be needed to guarantee him a wild card of esteem, for the experience and for the miracles performed in the Parisian edition 5 years ago, when with 5 wins out of 5 he was the undisputed protagonist. As for Migliozzi, if he wants to have a chance he must return to resembling the champion capable of winning the 2022 French Open, thanks also to a spectacular shot on the 72nd hole (“It was probably the shot of the year” recalled Luke Donald, i.e. the finest shot played on the Tour all season).

Threefold Danish challenge for victory

Especially about them and about Edward Molinari the cheering of the home crowd will converge, while the favors on the eve for the final victory are divided equally between the Danish twins Hojgaardthe reigning champion MacIntyre who prevailed one year ago in the play-off over Fitzpatrick, after a long three-way challenge that only excluded McIlroy and the other Dane Olesen, winner in 2018 at Gardagolf. One of the thousand variables that Golf can offer is also Polish Meronk, protagonist also in America of an excellent start to the season. Edoardo, vice-captain Ryder, has long been perfectly suited to the role. It is therefore useless to try to steal at least from him some indiscretion on the latest changes established for the camp. “We still have a few cards to play – he says – but we certainly won’t reveal them by favoring our opponents”. It’s called pretactics, even in golf.