Tickets to the spectator galleries are sold out. The air in Rome is rife with anticipation. Come the end of September and members of the sporting public will throng the amphitheatre-the Marco Simone Club-where 12 of the finest European golf professionals will assemble to face their quarries from across the Atlantic Ocean.
A few of these men have been here before and they remember, all too well, the last time these two sides clashed in 2021. That was the time Continentals were routed- The Massacre at Winged Foot and suffered a 10-point defeat (19.5 - 10.5). That scar is unlikely to fade anytime soon. It remains the most comprehensive defeat suffered by either side in nearly five decades.
Unsurprisingly the drubbing still casts a shadow over the European squadclearly considered the underdogs despite having the home advantage in 2023. Or at least they were, until Viktor Hovland went and demolished the PGA Tour's most elite field to win the 2023 FedEx Cup in August. Over the past couple of months, the winds have shifted perceptibly in the Europeans' favour. Will they avenge the defeat at Winged Foot or be vanquished at home? Of course, this is dramatic overkill. But it is shaping up to be quite a buildup to the most exciting matchplay event in the world. Even by its own yardstick, this year's Ryder Cup has been exceptionally anticipated. The vines are abuzz: you can't switch on a sports channel without running into a golf pundit commenting on the Captains' picks, or go on social media forums and not come across posts of fans tittering in a breathless way about potential match-ups.
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