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Hundreds of thousands of people made the trek to Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome for the 2023 Ryder Cup, but the course that hosted the tournament found itself dealing with a massive fire that broke out on the property less than a week after the event wrapped up.
Marco Simone opened for business in 1989 after being constructed on a 370-acre spread located outside of the historic capital city. The property is named after the Italian nobleman who converted a castle that was constructed around 1,000 A.D. into a palace that stands there to this day, and the golf course was constructed under the watchful eye of fashion designer Laura Biagiotti and her husband, who lived together on the property until he passed away in 1996.
In 2015, Italy was named the host of the 2023 Ryder Cup, and in 2018, Marco Simone underwent a redesign that was finalized the following year in preparation for the tournament. Unfortunately, it appears some new renovations are in store based on what unfolded on Thursday.
The blaze broke out in a hospitality area in the vicinity of the 18th green at around 5 P.M. local time as firefighters rushed to attempt to extinguish the flames that created a giant cloud of smoke that could be seen from downtown Rome.
Insane footage from Marco Simone today, hopefully no injuries/ casualties #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/f1z333I9Q5
— Conor Nolan (@ConorN11) October 5, 2023
According to Gazzetta, no injuries have been reported, although roads leading to the course were quickly closed down and residents in the area were told to evacuate due to the “unbreathable air” created by the fire,
A helicopter that flew over Marco Simone captured some more footage of the scene, and other people on the ground shared pictures of the blaze that engulfed the tents and grandstands where it originated.
It’s obviously a relief the fire broke out after the Ryder Cup concluded, and here’s to hoping the damage will be minimal once it does end up running its course.