They came in their thousands, scurrying across Marco Simone at dawn to secure a precious vantage point. A stampede of golf fans, on a pilgrimage to witness pure sporting theatre at the iconic first-tee amphitheater for the Ryder Cup. Just under 5,000 fans crammed in at 6am to witness history.
A dark blue horizon slowly transformed to a burnt orange as the sun came out over the Lazio hills. One of sport’s most unique fanbases stepped up once more, including a cluster of Swedes with A-B-E-R-G printed on the back of their shirts, and an even bigger group of Americans dressed as red, blue and white Vikings.
While waiting for Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns to grace the tee box, an impromptu orchestra provided some light entertainment. Each European player serenaded with their own song: Robert McIntyre’s name to the Kings of Leon’s ‘Sex on Fire’, Shane Lowry subbed in for ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries and don’t you know “All you need is Nicolai Hojgaard”. Well, Luke Donald evidently disagrees, for now, with the Danish rookie tasked with a watching brief throughout this morning’s foursomes.
Amid the laughs, an unlikely protagonist soon emerged: Nicolas Colsaerts. A vice-captain for Luke Donald this week, the Belgian leaped onto the first tee before bellowing out several cries of “Europe!”
Then a thunderclap for the ages, perhaps passable by the Icelandic standard bearers and one to match the spine-tingling rendition from Le Golf National in 2018. The racket echoing around the property from the first tee undoubtedly forced the players’ hearts to skip a beat just a stone’s throw away while finishing their preparation on the putting greens.
The humour soon turned to a hushed silence though, but only after Scottie Scheffler’s practice swings provoked a series of “oohs” and “arrgghhs”.
It was not a perfect script, with the world No 1 forced to quickly shrug off an unsavoury jab from a European fan. “You stink, Scottie” could be heard a matter of seconds before the first shot of the week. Fortunately, the burly Texan remained focused, underlining Donald and Zach Johnson’s pleas for fans to respect the line between feverish and distasteful scenes.
Rahm soon followed, and the Spaniard’s nerveless swing saw him thump his ball down the fairway to launch Team Angry alongside Hatton.
As match one bounced up the hill towards the first tee, two enormous screens helped the first tee monitor the early stages of the foursomes with an alternative commentary provided for all.
Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm of Team Europe and Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns of Team United States walk from the first tee— (Getty Images)
Scheffler’s ball flirted with the hole on the first. And some early agony for the Americans was compounded by Hovland’s first-hole birdie and Rahm’s delightful left-to-right putt on the third to strike first blood for Europe. A rampant Rahm and Hatton riding the wave of energy cultivated from that first tee, saw an inspired Hovland and Ludvig Aberg follow. There was more thrills surrounding Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry and fan-favourites Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood completed a spine-tingling first stanza after all the hype.
“The crowds were unbelievable, we feel the support, that's what we need,” Aberg said after a 4&3 victory over Max Homa and Brian Harman.
“It was such a big difference to Whistling Straits,” added Hovland. “Normally I keep my head down and play, but I try to get the crowds going and use them, it was such a good start.”
An avalanche of blue then, providing an early headache for Team USA, which might dampen Ryder Cup fever across the Atlantic as the week develops. But a two-year wait culminated in a special atmosphere, ensuring the tales from Rome will last to Bethpage in two years and then back to Europe with the Irish at Adare Manor in 2027. The first tee remains an experience like no other.
