Will Europe’s Italian move backfire?

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club will host the 2023 Ryder Cup as the renowned tournament comes to Italy for the first time. The European Tour made the bold decision in 2018 to move its host venue outside of Great Britain and Ireland for the first time.

All eyes were on Le Golf National in Paris to see whether the event would still harbour the same atmosphere. The European Tour would not be disappointed as the crowds at Le Golf National packed into the course and provided a cauldron of noise for Thomas Bjorn’s men to storm to a convincing victory over Team USA.

Time for revenge

Europe surrendered the Ryder Cup back to the United States in 2021 in a humbling defeat as Padraig Harrington and his team were hammered 19-9 at Whistling Straits.

The latest tips for betting on the event have the Americans as the leading contenders for the crown given the depth of their talent, but home-course advantage is on the side of the Europeans, and it is the turn of the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club to play its part in returning the cup to the continent.

Image by Pexels

Europe needs a strong home-course advantage to turn the tide on their opponents, having been on the receiving end of a heavy defeat. Whistling Straits was a harrowing experience for all the European players that participated, with many of the old guard of players that enjoyed career-defining moments in the competition suffering at the hands of American upstarts.

The European plans for the Ryder Cup were already thrown into disarray when Henrik Stenson turned his back on the European Tour and signed up for the LIV Golf Series. Luke Donald was drafted in as his replacement and he does have talent at his disposal to reclaim the crown, although his team at the moment does look top-heavy.

Jon Rahm was sensational to win The Masters for the first time and holds a narrow lead over Scottie Scheffler as the world number one. Rory McIlroy is the world number three and appears close to his peak form, although his quest to end his major drought is no closer to ending. Viktor Hovland appears to be the next bright start to emerge out of the continent, and he will be an important player for Donald. Matt Fitzpatrick had a breakthrough in 2022 by winning the US Open and appears to be finding the consistency that all golfers crave.

Outside of the top four, Donald has a challenge on his hands. It’s not the end of the world as the European team have often punched above their collective weight, using team spirit and the occasion of the Ryder Cup to defeat more illustrious opponents. The issue could come with the lack of Italian options available to stir up the home crowd.

Image by Pexels

Francesco Molinari was the star of the 2018 Ryder Cup triumph, winning all five of his matches. However, his form has dropped off a cliff since. He would be a natural selection for one of Donald’s Wild Card picks, but the captain will not be feeling bullish over his form. Guido Migliozzi is another option, although the 26-year-old has no Ryder Cup experience and his performances have been indifferent over the course of the season.

There are going to be no easy choices for Donald, especially politically as may need to include at least one Italian player to get the home crowd truly on side. It is the gamble the European Tour took, and it might come back to haunt them if Europe fall to their first defeat on home soil since 1993.