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Firefighters are battling a huge blaze at the luxury golf venue where Europe sensationally won the Ryder Cup last week after beating the United States.
Dozens of firefighters were on the scene to tackle the massive inferno that sent flames and smoke into the sky.
Images released by a fire brigade helicopter showed the extent of the fire on the Marco Simone track in Guidonia, on the outskirts of Rome.
The fire took place in a three-storey stand used to house hundreds of spectators during last week’s tournament.
An eyewitness told local media: ‘The smoke and flames are amazing. It’s huge and you can feel the heat from a distance.’
Images showed on Thursday afternoon how one of the catering establishments on the Marco Simone golf course went up in flames
Fans surround the 18th green as Team Europe’s Shane Lowry at Marco Simone Golf Club on October 1
The police were also on site and are investigating the cause of the fire, but no injuries have been reported yet.
A spokesman for the Italian Golf Federation said: ‘The fire is in the stand set up for the Ryder Cup and it is being dismantled, but that is all we know.’
The fire broke out at the first hole and footage posted online determined golfers could still be seen playing the 18th despite the massive blaze.
The stand, built for last week’s tournament, housed spectators and housed bars and restaurants for the three-day event.
Officials said it was made of metal and wood and had a plastic covering, which caused the fire to spread quickly and smoke because it is highly flammable.
The grandstand, which took several months to build, was dismantled so that the course could return to normal in December.
There were unconfirmed reports in the Italian media that the fire was started by fuel or gas bottles left behind by caterers.
The Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome was set on fire on Thursday, just days after hosting the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Images appearing on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed the track’s catering structure shrouded in fire and smoke.
It is not yet known what started the fire and whether there were any injuries. Reports from Italy claim that ‘firefighters arrive on scene to contain the flames’.
The incident comes just four days after Team Europe lifted the 2023 Ryder Cup title on the same course.
The Marco Simone club is located 16 km from the center of Rome and has 2 golf courses, an 18-hole Championship Course and a 9-hole Resort Course.
The incident comes just four days after Team Europe claimed the 2023 Ryder Cup title in Rome
Thousands of fans watched last week from one of the catering establishments on the course
Team Europe captain Luke Donald poses with the trophy and wife Diane Antonopoulos as his team kisses their partners during celebrations after winning the Ryder Cup
Team Europe’s Rory McIlroy celebrates with his wife Erica after Europe regained the Ryder Cup
Captain Luke Donald of Team Europe holds the Ryder Cup Trophy with players
Ireland’s Shane Lowry and the European team roar with joy as he lifts the Ryder Cup alongside (L-R) Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Ludwig Aberg, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland during the official presentation
The European WAGs took a strange photo alone with Norwegian star Viktor Hovland, the only single man in the team
Luke Donald’s European side secured a resounding 16.5-11.5 victory over Zach Johnson’s American team, overturning the upset of their 2021 Whistling Straits loss.
Donald’s side strolled to victory over the USA after taking an early lead in a thrilling start to the action, before Rory McIlroy produced a stunning surge to help them secure victory.
McIlroy top scored in Rome with four points as Donald’s team reclaimed the trophy, later admitting that Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and himself felt encouraged to go the extra mile. Together they contributed 10.5 of the European total of 16.5 points.
He said: ‘They’ve had an incredible Ryder Cup career and they’ve made their choices. No one can take away the impact they have had for Europe over the years.
“But this week, not having those big personalities in the team room, other guys got the chance to flourish and shine: Viktor, Jon, myself. There wasn’t much space taken up in that room by some of the other big personalities. We are a young team.
‘We can all grow together. Next time I could possibly be the oldest person on the team. It’s a new era. And it’s a pretty good one.’