Category: Panorama

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Panorama

“This Djokovic situation is a joke” – Golfers defend unvaccinated tennis star

Eddie Pepperell defends Djokovic. (Photo: Getty)
Eddie Pepperell defends Djokovic. (Photo: Getty)

Novak Djokovic is currently dominating the headlines of sports magazines and the news broadcasts, but not in a positive sense. The exceptional Serbian tennis player decided not to get vaccinated against Covid-19, and he doesn’t seem to be willing to change his mind in the future. This creates some difficulties for him trying to enter the hosting countries of the tournaments.

There also exist opponents to the vaccination on the golf tours. Actually, more than one professional golfer supports Djokovic in his decision.

What happend in Australia?

Novak Djokovic was originally granted the special permission to enter the country by the Australian Tennis Federation, due to the vaccination requirements. This was based on Djokovic’s words, when he ensure that he had tested positive back in December, and therefore, less than six months ago. However, the diagnosis only came from the testimony of a single doctor. Accordingly, the immigration authorities revoked Djokovic’s visa, but Djokovic’s lawyer appealed. The case became a major problem and politics even considered it a social and safety matter. The Immigration Minister Alex Hawke intervened, and the official court has concluded: Djokovic must leave the country. A similar situation is said to have happened to two other players, but they left without a fuss.

Golfers take Djokovic’s side

There are also unvaccinated professionals in golf. In November 2021, there were already tournament cancellations in golf due to vaccination status. For instance, some players were not allowed to travel to the Bermuda Championship because they didn¡t meet with the Corona regulations. One of the top golfers, Bryson DeChambeau made his pointn clear last summer. He defended that there was no need to vaccinate because he was athletic. Only a few weeks later, he missed the Olympic Games after testing positive in Covid, and lost 4.5 kg.

Sadly, DeChambeau is not the only golf athlete against the vaccine.


Other golfers also critize the vaccination and the pandemic situation in general, and two of these players are now rushing to Djokovic’s defence. Eddie Pepperell, in fact, tweeted: “I know there are some out there who are still feeling hysterical about Covid, but this Djokovic situation is a joke. He’s no danger to anyone (in the non tennis sense). Let’s just get on with our lives again. It’s pathetic.”

On his Twitter page, there are also some posts with a clear tendency towards the side of the opponents of vaccination. Pepperell is of the opinion that vaccinations do not mitigate the general pandemic situation.
Support for Djokovic also comes from Australian golfers, Scott Hend emphasises on the social network: “It doesn’t matter if you like Novak Djokovic or not. He did nothing illegal.”

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Panorama Professionals

Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts suffers from rare kidney disease

Nicolas Colsaerts suffers from a rare kidney disease. (Photo: Getty/ Instagram @nicolascolsaerts)
Nicolas Colsaerts suffers from a rare kidney disease. (Photo: Getty/ Instagram @nicolascolsaerts)

Nicolas Colsaerts is known to many golfers through the “Miracle of Medinah”, the Ryder Cup 2012. The Belgian golfer now shocked his fans with bad news via Instagram. He has fallen ill with a rare kidney disease. This was noticed by swollen ankles and blood clots in his lungs.

Nicolas Colsaerts: “You can imagine what could have happened”

Already a few weeks ago, the Belgian noticed the first symptoms and decided to make an appointment with his doctor. However, the diagnosis of this rare disease took about a week. As Colsaerts wrote on Instagram, it was one of the worse weeks of his life. “I looked my wife in the eye and said I wasn’t ready to go,” he revealed in a short video from his room at the hospital.
Upon closer examination, the doctors also found blood clots in his lungs. Fortunately, they caught it just days before he was supposed to take a flight. “You can imagine what could have happened if I had flown,” he commented. Finally, the diagnosis seems to be primary membranous nephropathy. It is a chronic inflammation of the kidney corpuscles and causes him to lose a lot of protein, in addition to the previous symptoms. The course of the illness could even go as far as to a complete kidney failure.

The beginning of a long road to recovery

For Nicolas Colsaerts, the long road to recovery begins today. The treatment takes up to several months. Also, he has to take immunosuppressants to improve the chances of success of the therapy. Therefore, his immune system is weakened in a controlled way. Especially in times of the Covid 19 pandemic, the risk becomes higher than usually. According to Nicolas Colsaerts, however, the treatment has worked so far and he is confident that the health conditions of Nicolas will improve in a few months at the latest. On the other hand, his wife Rachel Colsaerts also keeps a positive attitude from the hospital: “I hope this day is the beginning of the end and we are on the road to recovery!

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European Tour Panorama PGA Tour Top Tours

The biggest upsets in golf of 2021: insults, house bans and broken clubs.

Honorary Starter Lee Elder of the United States (L), honorary starter and Masters champion Gary Player of South Africa and honorary starter and Masters champion Jack Nicklaus

It’s not always “peace, joy, pancakes”. Snotty professionals, aggressive slips or inappropriate actions also find a place in golf. There has definitely been reason for excitement this year – one or two situations will definitely stick in the memory. If not, here is a summary of the biggest upsets in golf of 2021.

Justin Thomas’ homophobic gaffe

Justin Thomas kicks things off. He slipped out a homophobic insult at the Tournament of Champions in January. Not against a teammate, not against a referee – but against himself. He was angry about a missed 2-metre putt. Immediately after the round, Thomas apologised in an interview and on his social media channels for his ill-considered curse. Nevertheless, the slip had consequences for the golfer: his sponsor Ralph Lauren parted ways with him. His apology was acknowledged, but the statement could not be reconciled with the values that the company represents.

Tyrrell Hatton goes one better

Things did not go as hoped for Tyrrell Hatton at the British Open in July 2021. A spectator interfered with Hatton’s bogey putt on the 11th hole, whereupon the Englishman recorded a double bogey. Hatton promptly took his displeasure out on the spectator: He received a raised middle finger and the words “Absolutely fucking bollocks!” The spectator was not the only one to suffer on this day. At the 18, Hatton’s bat had to be destroyed.

The fans also fire verbally

The beef between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka is unlikely to have passed anyone by this year. Shouts also play a role in this dispute: Bryson DeChambeau, for example, was distracted by “Brooksy” shouts from Koepka fans in a tournament. Koepka, not present at the tournament himself, promptly responded to the extraordinary support of his fans and promised them free beer as a thank you. This story is just a small drop in the ocean in the dispute between DeChambeau and Koepka, who fought out their feud in “The Match V”.

*link dispute review

Every year again: Respect is a foreign word for American Ryder Cup fans

The Americans not only celebrated their own team at the Ryder Cup by cheering and applauding, but also tried to upset the opposing Europeans by disrespectful booing and insults. They cheered failed shots, shouted in the swing between them and wished the blue team balls in the water. Despite Steve Stricker’s appeal to the Americans to greet the Europeans with respect, the hosts’ fans did not mince their words. Unfortunately, not an isolated case at the Ryder Cup!

Brooks Koepka also had to contend with rebellious fans this year

Only a few weeks after a knee operation, Brooks Koepka competed at the PGA Championship. He was in the last flight together with Phil Mickelson and on his way to the 18th green. The fans, who naturally wanted to be especially close to their idols, scared Koepka. He was worried about his recently operated knee. The spectators came so close to the golf star that it was not easy to get through to the green. The American even suspected some fans of deliberately targeting his knee.

Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s ex-lawyer, shocks with sexist remark

In 2014, Rudy Giuliani won a charity tournament with Ernie Els alongside Michelle Wie. Seven years later, in 2021, he is reviving memories of the tournament. Not in a good way, though. In a podcast, Giuliani revealed that he noticed the “stunning” Michelle Wie’s panties as she putted that day. The paparazzi, he said, went crazy for a photo of them. Wie reacted quickly to this sexist remark: with a strong statement on Twitter she condemned the inappropriate remark and got support from the USGA and LPGA. Definitely one of the biggest upsets in golf, and the least proud moments for missing the essence of sport at its fullest.

Banned from Augusta? Gary Player’s son knows the drill

There was another upset at the opening ceremony at the 85th Masters. Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Elder were invited as honorary starters. The latter had to take part in the welcoming ceremony sitting down for health reasons. Standing diagonally behind him was Gary Player’s son and caddie, Wayne. He shamelessly took advantage of the moving ceremony: He held the inscription of a badge into the camera for several minutes – obviously this could not be a coincidence. What followed? A ban from Augusta. Wayne Player’s explanation of the situation? More than strange.

Player Impact Programme – Even more money for those with the most money

This year, a bonus programme was launched on the PGA Tour, the principle of which is rather questionable. It is not meant to reward a good playing performance, but to be a prize for special media impact. Players with this special media impact – for example Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson or Rory McIlroy – are to receive a reward for drawing the crowds and increasing golf’s audience. A total sum of 40 million dollars is to be awarded to the stars. Even more money for those who already have the most? This causes incomprehension.

NRW Health Minister Laumann causes outrage

Recently, NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann caused an uproar in the German health system as well as in the German golf market. In the wake of rising Corona numbers, he called on family doctors to invest more time in vaccination. His choice of words was more than daring. “Instead of golf on Saturday, vaccinate on Saturday,” were his words, with which he not only stepped on the toes of people from the health sector, but also of golfers. DGV President Claus Kobold did not take the flippant remark lying down for long and promptly responded with a quick-witted statement.

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Panorama

PGA Tour: Year-end performance review

Rory McIlroy's year-end performance review. (Foto: Youtube/@PGA Tour)
Rory McIlroy's year-end performance review. (Foto: Youtube/@PGA Tour)

The stars of the PGA Tour around Rory McIlroy are asked performance reviews – and still have plenty of room for improvement for the upcoming year.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time for the annual performance reviews. This is also the case on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, where the stars like Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Co. are called into office for the year-end performance reviews.

PGA Tour: year-end performance reviews

Actor John C. McGinley, known as Dr. Perry Cox from the hospital series “Scrubs”, sits in front of them and sums up the performance of the professionals in the past year with many allusions. Rory McIlroy, for example, looks back on two wins in 2021 and considers himself his harshest critic, “but that could all change.”

Jordan Spieth has to face the interview without his caddie Michael and is “very nervous” about it, and Justin Thomas has to answer for his beer action at the Ryder Cup. Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, whose height and emotional nature are always a topic, Henrik Stenson, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa also have to make an appearance. The latter is “by any estimate, perfect” but that’s where the danger lies, the interviewer said.

McGinley, who plays management consultant Bob Slydell in the film “Office Space,” analyzes the stars and their performances. In the process, it also becomes clear that many stars have no plan B up their sleeves in case their golfing career should come to an end overnight. Finally, the interviewer himself is taken for a ride.

Watch the funny sketch here:

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European Tour Knowledge Reports

Every Birdie Counts Campaign – European Tour group’s Golf for Good raises £125,000 for UNICEF

Keith Pelley and Paul Casey.(Getty)

The European Tour group’s Golf for Good raised a total of £125,000 for UNICEF through its season-long ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign. The campaign, supporting UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, raised sufficient funds to help the children’s charity. The did so by delivering 50,000 vaccines to some of the world’s most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach nations.

‘Every Birdie Counts’ is an integral part of the European Tour group’s overarching CSR Programme ‘Golf for Good’ during the 2021 season. Also, it raised a minimum of €1 for UNICEF for every single birdie made during the campaign, with €10 donated for every eagle and €1,000 for every albatross.

DP World Tour Championship boosted up the total.

The season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai gave a significant ‘Birdie Boost’ to those numbers. Then, the European Tour group’s Golf for Good pledged €75 for every birdie made at the final Rolex Series event of the season. This was to mark UNICEF’s milestone 75th anniversary as well as World Children’s Day, which coincided with day three of the prestigious tournament.

There was a total of €77,451 raised prior to the finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates, thanks to 57,641 birdies, 1,681 eagles and three albatrosses across a season which began with January’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The DP World Tour Championship, meanwhile, yielded 862 birdies and 19 eagles, raising a total of €66,550 in a brilliant week for Collin Morikawa. Morikawa claimed the title in a dramatic fashion, becoming the first American golfer in the history of the DP World Tour to top the season-long rankings.

The European Tour group’s Golf for Good rounded up the total from approximately £121,250 to £125,000. Of course, the full amount will support UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, and its aim of delivering three billion vaccines globally.

Supporting the UNICEF work.

UNICEF is leading the end-to-end supply of vaccines, as well as providing tests and treatments, in low-and middle-income countries. For instance, UNICEF focuses the aim to deliver three billion doses of vaccines in 2021 for frontline health workers, social workers, teachers and those at highest risk.

UNICEF

The commitment of Paul Casey with the cause.

Paul Casey, a 15-time DP World Tour winner and UNICEF USA Supporter, said: “It’s unbelievable what the European Tour group and Golf for Good have done. So much is talked about what we do on the golf course, but I don’t think enough is mentioned about what goes on for every community and country we visit.”

“In this case, it’s the global reach – partnering with UNICEF and £125,000 will go so far in assisting UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, rolling out COVID-19 vaccines around the world. I couldn’t be more proud. Things like this make me proud of being part of the DP World Tour.”

“As a father, children are my primary focus when it comes to charity. It was World Children’s Day on Saturday during the final tournament, so I think this is very timely. You have a right as a human being to have access to certain things and children are always the most vulnerable. I tip my cap to all of those involved in getting this off the ground.”

The European Tour shows full support with the most vulnerable.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “We are proud to have partnered with UNICEF in their 75th anniversary year, by supporting their work as part of the COVAX Facility though our ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign.”

“As a global tour we committed to supporting communities and worthy causes around the world. Therefore, to that end, this donation is a fitting end to our 2021 Golf for Good campaign. It will provide enough funding to help deliver 50,000 vaccinations to some of the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach nations on earth.”

“It was also fitting that the ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign should finish with such a flourish at an event sponsored by our new tour title partners DP World. They have been supporting UNICEF in the logistics and delivery of the vaccine globally. Our sincerest thanks to UNICEF, DP World and of course all of our players who, through their wonderful golf all season, helped make this happen.”

UNICEF is one step closer to accomplish its mission.

Steven Waugh, Interim Executive Director of the UK Committee for UNICEF said: “If we have learned anything from the coronavirus crisis, it is that our lives are interconnected. COVID-19 does not respect borders. At UNICEF, we know that if we only protect high-income countries, life will not return to normal. If COVID-19 is spreading anywhere, it’s a risk to people everywhere.”

“As part of COVAX, UNICEF is leading the biggest health and logistics operation in history to procure and deliver vaccines. A total of 3 billion vaccines around the world by the end of 2021. In order to achieve this historic mission, we need the help of our supporters and partners.”

“I would like to share my sincere thanks to everyone at the European Tour group, who have helped raised an incredible amount for UNICEF’s work around the world. Your support means that we can help deliver 50,000 vaccinations in low- and middle- income countries around the world.”

Press Release by the European Tour Group Communications Team.

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European Tour Knowledge

R&A Report Shows Golf Participation In Sweden Has Increased To 600K

New official reports highlight great golf participation growth across Europe. According to the EGA (European Golf Association) reports, there are currently 10.6 Million golfers playing the sport among The R&A’s European Affiliates and in the EGA members’ markets, a healthy increase from the 7.9 million last monitored for 2016.

Since the pandemic, the sport fans had to get used to follow their favorite sports through the screen. Teams and organizers suffered the hard consequences economically speaking because of the decreasing number of affiliates. However, golf has come out stronger, and the reason is simple – The players are outside, it is easy to keep the social distance at all times, and it reconnects you with the world after a global lockdown.

Golf Participation Growth in Sweden

Markets with a greater proportion of registered golfers include Spain and Sweden (10% independent / 90% registered). “We believe that counting independent golfers together with those who are registered as club members gives a more accurate view of the total number of golfers playing on a full-length course each year and reflects how the sport is being consumed from country to country.” – Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A.

Since 2019, Swedish golf participation increased by 54.6k golfers. Reports situate Sweden 3rd in the leaderboard of countries with the highest number of new registered golfers. Nowadays, there are 600,000 golfers in Sweden and 650 courses. Due to the rapid increment of new participants, the course demand has also grown. This is a gap to cover that could potentially pump up the National federations and Organizations to continue to expand the interest in golf among the Swedish population.

Women’s and Junior Participation – The biggest increment

Regarding women’s golf, there’s also a clear increase in Europe. Only in Sweden, the female participation increased by 27%, which translates into 129,949 new golfers. The sport of golf almost benefit from the global Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, there’s no denying that this is an unique opportunity to mediatise women’s golf and make more visible the quality among women golfers.


The Swedish are well-known for inculcating sports education in children from an early age. There’s also a reflection of that on the new reports by the R&A. Sweden leads the top of the list of European countries that has increased the number of junior participation. The junior enrolment has risen by 11%, or in other words, 61,839 new kids practice now the sport of golf. Junior participation is specially important because it represents the quarry of the future national teams.

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European Tour Fun

The fastest European Tour golfers who broke GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title at Valderrama

Wilco Nienaber, Sean Crocker, Min Woo Lee and Nicolai Højgaard at the Real Club Valderrama. (European Tour Images)

Sean Crocker, Nicolai Højgaard, Min Woo Lee and Wilco Nienaber broke a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the ‘Fastest hole of golf by a team of four’

Second Hero Challenge of 2021 saw previous record broken by over three seconds, the record stood at 27,88 seconds. New record was set at Real Club Valderrama, Spain ahead of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters. In this case, hole 4 was the lucky one to witness these players facing the speed challenge. It is a par 5 of 501 yards that receives the name of “waterfall”.

The hole consisted on a fairly straight hole with a narrow fairway. However, there seems not to be much danger off the fairway, specially on the right side where the field opens a little more. Closer to the hole, there is a bunker on the right, just before the water that side-hugs the green. They planned out the entire strategy to play fast and safe. The key was to keep the eye on the pin and to hit the ball “bounce and stop” in order to reduce the timing from any slow back-spin.

Ready, set, go!

Wilco Nienaber was on the tee box to hit the first shot with his driver, aiming towards Sean Crocker. Nienaber hit an enormous 361-yard drive off the tee which gave Sean Crocker, positioned on the fairway and prepared with his two irons on his hands, 140 yards for his second shot which he hit to four feet. Crocker had to think fast to calculate the distance and pick the right club to get it into the green. There, both Min Woo Lee and Nicolai Højgaard were at the flag waiting to tap it in and become the new Guinness World Record winners.
At 5:55pm, two hours later, they set the New Guinness World Record at 24,75 seconds.

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Europe Panorama Travel

Dundonald Links: Luxury Lodges complete latest phase of £25M investment in the cradle of golf, Scotland.

Dundonald Links Course, in Irvine, Scotland.

Dundonald Links has entered an exciting new era with the opening of 18 luxury lodges, the latest phase of a £25m investment transforming the esteemed Scottish venue into one of the UK’s most modern new golf resorts.

Investing in the full golfing experience, Dundonald Links is becoming the dreamt golf destination.

The collection of two, four and six-bedroom lodges opened to widespread acclaim in August and have been custom-designed with golfers in mind, with bag storage and drying areas, en-suite bathrooms, large living spaces and fully equipped kitchen and dining facilities.

Darwin Escapes has already invested £1m in upgrading Dundonald Links’ Kyle Phillips-designed 18-hole championship course, including the addition of a new halfway house, and more is set to follow this autumn with the imminent opening of a new clubhouse and 22 hotel rooms.

Ian Ferguson, club manager, said: “The opening of the new lodges is the start of an exciting new chapter for Dundonald Links, and we’re thrilled with the initial feedback that we have received from guests.

Dundonald Links meets every need for the golfers and their loved ones.

“It’s been wonderful to see all the investment plans come to fruition over the last year and even more is to come in the next few months. With the opening of the new clubhouse and hotel rooms, not only will the resort boast some of the finest golf accommodation facilities in the UK, but it will also become the perfect base for golfers and their families to experience everything that this famous part of Scotland has to offer.”

Golf influencer Peter Finch, who has more than 400,000 followers on YouTube and who recently stayed in the lodges, said: “The biggest compliment I could pay is that I would love to live there!”

Boasting a striking contemporary design, the new two-storey clubhouse will feature large balconies overlooking the course and panoramic views to the Isle of Arran. Facilities within the clubhouse will include a pro shop, restaurant, bar, whisky tasting room and outdoor dining terrace, as well as a gym, sauna, steam room and extensive changing facilities.

Set amongst the picturesque Ayrshire countryside, the clubhouse has been created from natural materials and finished with local whinstone and a grass roof. This not only helps it to blend seamlessly with the rugged landscape and surroundings but also reinforces Dundonald’s long-term commitment to sustainability, conservation and nature.

In addition, the resort is also set to cut the ribbon in the coming months on a range of new hotel rooms, which are situated beside the clubhouse for ease of access to the restaurant and club facilities.

Already a well-respected test for bucket-list golfers from across the world, Dundonald Links has hosted many major professional golf events since 2008 – including the Ladies’ Scottish Open in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in 2017.

The resort is one of three golf venues operated by Darwin Escapes, in addition to The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire and Kilnwick Percy in East Yorkshire. For more details and to book a golf break at Dundonald Links, please visit dundonaldlinks.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DundonaldLinks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DundonaldLinks
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dundonaldlinks
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYx8sB_G2kuwoFrRRTfEOvw?view_as=subscriber

Press Release by Azalea in behalf of Dundonald Links

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Fun Professionals

Black Friday Battle Between Brooks & Bryson

(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

It’s on! Finally, these two will dish it out on the green and only one will come out on top. No more social media scruffs or side eyeing each other at tournaments. The duo will square off in a 12-hole match on November 26 at the Wynn Golf Course, the only golf course on the Las Vegas strip. 

Bryson Dechambeau (28) and Brooks Koepka (31) are both pro American golfers who are stars on the PGA Tour. With their recent success at the Ryder Cup, all spectators have their eyes on these two. However, not only for their golf game. Fans have been sitting on the edge of their seat to see where the drama will lead between the two men. Is one golfer truly better than the other? Is this a fight over skill or over fame? Where did it all begin?

The Beginning

The feud began in 2018, when Koepka criticized how slow DeChambeau was playing. “I just don’t understand how it takes a minute and 20 seconds, a minute and 15 to hit a golf ball; it’s not that hard,” Koepka said at the time. DeChambeau hit back by digging at Koepka’s physique, claiming he didn’t have any abs.

Koepka then took to social media to retilate..

Then when Dechambeau was paired with Aaron Rogers  for “The Match” against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady, Brooks sent a “I’m sorry bro” tweet to Aaron Rogers.  Dechambeau gracefully responded with,

Meme moments

After that, everything came to a head when Koepka became a meme at the PGA Championship. Koepka broke during a post-round conversation with the media when DeChambeau walked past, making a point of making as much noise on the pavement as he could with his spikes.

No, there was no beef at the Ryder Cup.

The two were fortunately not paired and were able to focus on gaining the win for the US team. There were no side eyeing, no tweeting, and no one was called Brooksy. They even seemed to enjoy each other’s presence and sat next to each other during the press conferences.

KOHLER, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 23: Bryson DeChambeau of team United States and Brooks Koepka of team United States attend the opening ceremony for the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 23, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Anticipating November

So whether the beef is over, was never real, or the two still hate each other, it could all get resolved this November. Hopefully they both don’t eat too much Turkey the day before and give all their best, regardless if they have abs or not.

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Highlights Tours Knowledge Top Tours

REVAMPED MARCO SIMONE FORMALLY WELCOMES FIRST MAJOR EVENT AHEAD OF HOSTING THE 2023 RYDER CUP

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club today was formally introduced as the venue that will host the 2023 Ryder Cup.

·Venue will host Italy’s first Ryder Cup from Sept 29-Oct 1, 2023
·This week, it welcomes the European Tour’s DS Automobiles Italian Open
·Venue on the outskirts of Rome will also host the Italian Open in 2022 and 2023

Press release

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club today formally welcomed its first major event following extensive renovation work as the venue on the outskirts of Rome continues its preparations ahead of hosting the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Representatives from Ryder Cup Europe, the Federazione Italiana Golf and Marco Simone Golf & Country Club gathered outside the clubhouse for a ribbon cutting ceremony to acknowledge the occasion on the eve of this week’s DS Automobiles Italian Open on the European Tour.

Major events hosting in the history of Marco Simone Golf & Country Club
It is the second time Marco Simone has hosted Italy’s national open, having previously done so in 1994, and this week represents another important milestone for the venue, built and owned by the Biagiotti family who run global businesses in fashion and fragrance, as it showcases its significant redesign to a global audience for the first time.

Italian Ryder Cup player Francesco Molinari who entered the history books by winning a maximum five points in Europe’s victory at Le Golf National in 2018, is among the first players to take on the spectacular course, which underwent 18 months of renovation work including the redesign of all 18 holes.

The new layout and the focus view of the project at Marco Simone. What it was thought to be meant for.
The redesign project at Marco Simone, led by European Golf Design in co-operation with Tom Fazio II, focused creating a golf course specifically with the drama of match play in mind, with the previous layout rerouted not only to provide numerous risk and reward opportunities for the world’s leading players, but also to maximise the natural rolling countryside terrain.

It means spectators will have unrivalled vantage points of the on-course action as well as distant views of the famous Eternal City, including spectacular views of St Peter’s Basilica and of the Castle of Marco Simone which together will provide the backdrop to golf’s greatest team contest.

The unique and charming golf course that will not only attract the Italian crowd, but all fans around the world.
Franco Chimenti, President of the Federazione Italiana Golf, said: “With the first Italian Open at the new Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the path to the 2023 Ryder Cup comes alive. A sustainable golf course, representing international excellence, it is our pride not only for golf but for all Italian sport. The unique charm of Rome, combined with the adrenaline of the match between Europe and the USA will make the Italian edition unique. I thank all the institutions, Ryder Cup Europe and Marco Simone Golf & Country Club for supporting the development of the project.”

Guy Kinnings, European Ryder Cup Director, said: “With just three weeks until this year’s Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, today marks another significant step in Italy’s own journey toward hosting its first Ryder Cup in two years’ time.

“The redesign project at Marco Simone is spectacular and we are delighted to showcase it to a global audience at this week’s Italian Open, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect when the venue welcomes golf’s greatest team contest in 2023.

“The global pandemic has restricted our opportunities to share several key moments in the reopening process, so we are also delighted to be able to join Lavinia Biagiotti and her team today, along with Franco Chimenti, Gian Paolo Montali and everyone at the Federazione Italiana Golf for this significant occasion which is the culmination of months of hard work and collaboration.”

Lavinia Biagiotti, President of Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, said: “After 27 years Marco Simone Golf & Country Club is excited to host the prestigious Italian Open and we are delighted to welcome the world’s best golfers to our newly renovated course. We are proud to showcase our unique destination to a global audience and we hope to inspire the next generation of Italian golfers as we look forward to hosting our national open and the 2023 Ryder Cup in the coming years.

“I would like to thank the Federazione Italiana Golf and its visionary President Franco Chimenti, along with Gian Paolo Montali, CONI and their President Giovanni Malagò, the European Tour and Ryder Cup Europe, the Biagiotti Group, our local and national institutions, Marco Simone’s CEO Emilio Carbonera, and the dedicated Marco Simone team that are all part of this incredible journey.”

General Director, Gian Paolo Montali exposes the latest and last details about this project.
Gian Paolo Montali, General Director of the Ryder Cup 2023 Project, said: “We are very proud to inaugurate the new Marco Simone Golf & Country Club golf course, venue of the 2023 Ryder Cup, with a great international tournament like the Italian Open. As promised, the golf course is ready thanks to the tremendous effort and coordination between the Italian Golf Federation, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Ryder Cup Europe and European Golf Design. The journey continues.”

The redesign of Marco Simone Golf and Country Club began in August 2018, with the back nine completed and reopened in October 2019 followed by the full 18 holes in October 2020.

In addition to the extensive work to the golf course, the clubhouse is currently undergoing further renovation which will be completed in 2022, and a new practice ground which will be constructed in the spring of 2022.

Part of the European Tour Destinations network, Marco Simone will host two further editions of Italy’s national open in 2022 and 2023, before becoming the third venue in continental Europe to host the Ryder Cup following Valderrama in Spain (1997) and Le Golf National in France (2018).

Press Release by the European Tour Communications