European Tour star Renato Paratore joined the Italian National Team to welcome more than 100 students from local schools in Rome and Guidonia Montecelio to a team training session where they were formally introduced to the sport of golf for the first time.

The special day, which included a visit to Marco Simone Golf & Country Club – host venue of The 2022 Ryder Cup — began with a demonstration from Italian team members, an introductory teaching session from the team’s head coach Alessandro Rogato and a question and answer period with professionals and elite amateurs. The event was also attended by Michel Barbet, Mayor of Guidonia Montecelio.

There was great enthusiasm amongst the children, especially for 2017 Nordea Masters winner Paratore and 2009 Solheim Cup player Diana Luna.

It was a successful first step for the ‘Golf in School’ initiative, introduced by Italian Golf Federation president Franco Chimenti, which aims to grow golf at grass roots level as part of the larger Project Ryder Cup 2022 led by the scheme’s General Director, Gian Paolo Montali.

As part of the Road to Rome 2022, National Team members were formally announced at a press conference on February 7, before competing in a Pro-Am and running an in-depth golf clinic covering many topics, including the use of technology in training.

The 2022 Ryder Cup will be only the third Ryder Cup in history to be played in continental Europe following last year’s biennial contest in Paris at Le Golf National, won by Thomas Bjørn’s Team Europe, and the 1997 edition held in Spain at Valderrama Golf Club, from which the European side also emerged victorious, captained by Seve Ballesteros.