The Ryder Cup is rich in history, so it only makes sense for it to take place on a course that carries centuries worth of memories.
The biennial golf tournament is in Italy this weekend, as Team USA and Team Europe battle it out over the course of three days for the right to be crowned Ryder Cup champions.
The 2023 edition marks the first time that Italy is hosting the event. England, Scotland, France, Spain, Ireland and Wales have all previously been the site for a Ryder Cup, but this year, it is the Italians that play hosts, as the event is being held at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
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What is the significance of the course, and who is it named after? The Sporting News explains the history behind Marco Simone.
Where is the Ryder Cup in 2023?
The 2023 Ryder Cup will be played at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia Montecelio, a town that is about 10 miles northeast from Rome.
This is the first time that the Ryder Cup will be played at the course. The last three years, the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club has been the host for the Italian Open, one of the events on the European Tour.
- Par: 71
- Distance: 7,255 yards (6,634 m)
Who is the Marco Simone Golf Course named after?
The Marco Simone Golf Course is not directly named after a person. Rather it is named after a castle ... which does happen to be named after a person.
The Marco Simone Castle is the most notable landmark on the grounds of the course. It is named after Marco di Simone, the son of Simone dei Tebaldi, a Roman nobleman, who bought part of the territory in the 15th century and began to restore the tower.
After Simone died, the castle was restructured by Cardinal Federico Cesi, who redecorated the halls with 16th-century frescoes. He eventually sold the entire property to the Borghese family in 1678, before the castle was purchased by the Brancaccio family towards the tail end of the 19th century.
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The castle was abandoned after World World II, as the wear and tear from the war had caused massive wreckage. That is, until it was purchased by the parents of fashion designer Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna in 1978.
Currently, the castle is the private residence of Biagiotti Cigna, who owns and runs the golf club on the course. When her parents purchased the castle in 1978, they decided to build a golf course surrounding the structure.
A look inside the 11th-century Marco Simone castle that gives the name to the surrounding golf course hosting the Ryder Cup.
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) September 25, 2023
Fashion designer Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna doesn't really feel she owns the castle but is just “taking care” of it. https://t.co/iqbqfjgzz6 pic.twitter.com/ZOkmdCqcSM
"I don’t really feel like I own this place, I really feel I’m taking care of this place," Biagiotti Cigna said in an interview with The Associated Press. "That’s the attitude I have. So I really have to make a lot of maintenance because there are layers and layers of history."
The castle can be seen in between the sixth and eighth holes on the golf course, with an Italian flag perched at the top of its tower.
