After he took his seat next to a trophy with which he is well acquainted, Luke Donald was asked a number of questions on Monday. The most amusing was whether Rome might soon witness the fall of another empire.
He dead-batted it, of course, and so did the American chap in his company, Zach Johnson, who is perhaps even less given to a flashy comment than Donald. But there was truth concealed in the humour of that enquiry — this is an era of transition and uncertainty for the golfers of Europe.
As we embark on one of the great weeks of sport, it is impossible in this of all cities to separate past from present.
So many of those names who have been central to European domination of the Ryder Cup in the past 25 years or more — Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey are links in a chain that stretches to 1997 — have given way to age and the toxicity of golf’s politics.
In their place here at Marco Simone stands a younger generation — with an average age of 30, Donald’s side is the most youthful deployed by a captain of Europe since 1987.
Luke Donald (left) will be hoping to regain the Ryder Cup this week from US Team captain Zach Johnson (right) in Rome
The pair appeared at a captains press conference ahead of the biennial tournament which is due to kick off on Friday
The stage is set at the gruelling Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, which will provide a tough test for some of the world’s greatest golfers from both sides of the Atlantic
The mystery is whether the new faces, bolts of extreme promise like Ludvig Aberg, can fuse with the older guard of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland to regain the trophy they lost so conclusively at Whistling Straits two years ago.
On paper, the US are stronger, not at the head but very much so at the tail, though as Tyrrell Hatton told Mail Sport recently: ‘Golf isn’t played on paper.’
True, but with three of this year’s major winners in Johnson’s team, the grass might not offer a kinder sanctuary. And with that comes the broader question of crumbling empires, because Europe has not lost at home since 1993.
‘I certainly have a lot of belief in my team,’ said Donald, a four-time Cup winner. ‘I know it’s going to be a difficult next few days. The US are very strong and we are coming off our worst defeat ever in a Ryder Cup. They have some great partnerships and have had a lot of success.
‘We have our work cut out but you have to have belief.’
It has always been the most compelling of match-ups, even if not the closest — seven of the past 10 editions have been won by five points or more.
European stars McIlroy (left) and Lowry (right) arrived at the team’s hotel on Monday after both were spotted watching Ireland beat South Africa at the Stade de France on Saturday
Rahm (left) and MacIntyre (right) also arrived at Team Europe’s hotel on Monday ready for the tournament
Viktor Hovland (pictured) was seen on Monday practising from the bunkers at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club
Ludvig Aberg (pictured) will make his debut at the tournament at the age of 23 after a breakout season on the professional tours, notably winning at the Omega European Masters
Indeed, it rarely touches the numerical parity of its female sibling, the Solheim Cup, but the richness of its history makes it one of sport’s most precious jewels. From The Concession of 69 to the War on the Shore of 91, to Medinah and its miracle and the mutiny of Phil Mickelson in 2014, its capacity for drama is proven and marvellous.
If we are to apply a European slant, much of that has been derived from the US appetite for implosion in the peculiar business of making teams from those conditioned to live as lone wolves. See the poor Cup record of Tiger Woods as the prime example of why this branch of science is inexact.
To end the 30-year curse, Johnson will need to find something that was beyond the likes of Jim Furyk (2018), Tom Watson (2014), Corey Pavin (2010), Tom Lehman (2006), Curtis Strange (2002) and Tom Kite (1997).
He has been accused of building a ‘boys club’ by favouring friendships over form — Justin Thomas has picked up of late but his 2023 results have stunk — but that might well be how the code is cracked. He certainly seems confident.
‘It’s hard to win outside of your comfort zone,’ Johnson said. ‘It’s hard to win against a team that’s always been very formidable.
‘The European teams have been very stout, very good, very deep, and this year is no different.
Justin Thomas (pictured) was named as a captain’s pick by Johnson after a difficult year on the PGA Tour, but will be a huge addition to the US Team’s ranks considering his experience at the Ryder Cup
Brooks Koepka (pictured) flew to the tournament separately from his team after he competed at the LIV Golf Invitational in Chicago last weekend
Collin Morikawa, who finished T6 at the Tour Championship this season, was seen practising on the range today
Max Homa (left) and Sam Burns (right), another rookie for the Ryder Cup, were also pictured deep in conversation as they practiced on the range
‘It’s just difficult. I know what history says. But at the same time I can speak confidently — these guys are ready. The teams of the past are teams of the past. This is a new team with a new opportunity.’
It was interesting to note on that front that Brooks Koepka, the single LIV golfer among the 24 here, flew to Italy separate from the rest of the US side on Sunday. Logistics, apparently, because he played in Chicago last week.
But contrast that to a story told to Mail Sport recently about McIlroy ditching his private jet following a recent European reconnaissance trip to Marco Simone, choosing instead to return to Wentworth on a charter with his team-mates.
They are tiny, possibly trivial, details but the beauty of the Cup is that these items tend to add up. For Europe’s sake they might need to. If they don’t Rome might be blessed with yet another ruin.