The history behind Marco Simone Golf and Country Club
GOLF fans are gearing up for the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup but supporters are still confused about the history of the Marco Simone course.
The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club has won the right to host this year’s mouthwatering competition. And Team Europe will be determined to reclaim their crown from Team USA on the iconic Italian course.
But before our day-by-day coverage of the event, SunSport delves into exactly who Marco Simone is.
Marco Simone: From a tower of stone to a stunning palace
Marco di Simone along with his nobleman father Simone dei Tebraldo, transformed a tower of stone built in the 1000s, into a stunning palace according to Italian history books.
It is said to have the best-preserved structures of its kind from the Agro Roman area and its dungeon is home to the remains of fossils that have been pegged at approximately 300,000 years old.
This was the first remarkable transformation and three areas of typical fifteen-century architecture then surrounded the old tower.
The story behind Italy’s Ryder Cup course
After Marco Simone died, the castle and property fell into complete disrepair for most of the 20th century due to a malaria outbreak that stopped the rich from living in the area.
But famous Italian fashion designer Laura Biagotti and her husband Gianni Cigna purchased the remains in 1978 before restoring and honouring it in the name of Marco Simone.
And then the golf course which was designed by Jim Fazio, was fully restored by son Tom Fazio before opening in 1989.
Biagotti revealed that the restoration was a "pivotal" choice in her life and it was a "madness" that she followed gently.
Laura’s daughter Lavinia also told the Associated Press in 2021: "This is what we want to offer to the world. A unique destination with amazing golfing features but not just that, with a typical Italian atmosphere, with culture, passions, food and friendship."
Tragically Lavinia’s mother Laura didn’t live to see Marco Simone experience its greatest glory for the Ryder Cup as she suffered a heart attack on the castle grounds in May 2017 and died two days later.
When is the 2023 Ryder Cup?
The 44th Ryder Cup will officially get underway on Friday, September 29 and conclude on Sunday, October 1.
Macro Simone Golf and Country Club just outside Rome is the allocated venue for this huge competition and it is an 18-hole championship course.
Furthermore, Marco Simone previously hosted the Italian Open in 2021.
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