RYDER CUP DIARY: Inside the glamorous Gala Dinner menu, it’s all smiles so far on the green – and next year’s Team Europe captain is already causing a headache
- The 44th Ryder Cup tees off on Friday at the Marco Simeone Golf Club in Rome
- There were more organisational issues as fans walked a mile to reach the venue
- Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler were in excellent spirits in Thursday’s practice
While the threads may have cost a fortune, the reds did not.
On Wednesday night, WAGs in their finest dresses and their suited-and-booted other halves headed to a rooftop terrace at Terme di Caracalla for the glamourous Ryder Cup Gala Dinner.
However, a menu obtained by Diary reveals Europe and the United States’ stars and their partners were served £12.99 bottles of wine at the swanky shindig.
Diners were offered a choice of a Villa Antinori Tuscan red or white of 2020 vintage, along with a similarly priced 2022 Puglia rose.
All retail at around £12.99 online. Moet & Chandon was also available for the champagne drinkers.
The highly-anticipated 44th Ryder Cup tees off on Friday at the Marco Simeone Golf Club
Brooks Koepka’s wide Jena Sims was among the WAGs in attendance at the gala dinner
For dinner, guests were treated to a calamari and rockfish starter with olives, capers and a red gurnard ragout, before a main of beef fillet with Barolo reduction and snow peas. Vegetarian options were available.
Desserts were from the Federico Prodon Patisserie.
An exclusive show from Georgia singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips capped off the night before coaches transported those involved back to their hotels.
More organisational issues…
For the first time on Thursday, serious crowd numbers descended on the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, arriving on buses — only to then endure a walk of around a mile to enter the venue.
Officials have designed a somewhat convoluted route, and a number of angry punters confronted staff in yellow bibs to ask the entirely rational question of why they could not just walk in a straight line to the entrance.
With temperatures of 30°C expected throughout the weekend and a large number of elderly spectators, it is to be hoped common sense prevails.
Europe’s captain crisis
The choice of Europe captain at the next Ryder Cup is already causing head-scratching. The emergence of LIV has narrowed the pool considerably, with the likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia out of contention having signed up for the breakaway competition.
Insiders believe that, should he oversee victory here, Luke Donald will be a very strong candidate to retain the position at Bethpage Black in New York two years from now.
Luke Donald (above) is thought to be a very strong candidate to retain the position as Team Europe’s captain if he wins in Rome
Team Europe’s Jon Rahm cuts a relaxed figure during practice on Thursday morning in Rome
It’s all fun and games until…
While there may well be a mood change when the serious action starts on Thursday morning, it has been all smiles so far on the chipping and putting greens at Marco Simone.
Both sides have happily shared the practice areas, swapping jokes and good wishes.
At one point Jon Rahm walked in front of a Scottie Scheffler chip, with the ball rebounding off the Spaniard’s basket.
‘That was going in!’ laughed the American.
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