Rome wins bid to host 2022 Ryder Cup

Rome will host the Ryder Cup in 2022, the European Tour said on Monday.

The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, situated 17km from the centre of the Italian capital, will become only the third host of the matches on Continental Europe.

The Spanish course of Valderrama staged the event in 1997 and Le Golf National, on the outskirts of Paris, will do likewise in 2018.

Italy, Austria, Germany and Spain were the four bidding nations to host the 2022 Ryder Cup.

Initially, there were seven bidders but Denmark, Portugal and Turkey withdrew their interest in the early stages.

"I would like to offer my congratulations to Italy whose bold and ambitious bid has seen them become the host nation for the 2022 Ryder Cup," said tour chief executive Keith Pelley in a statement.

"History has shown time and again that the Ryder Cup is pure theatre with the players the stars, and there is no question that the Eternal City of Rome will provide a wonderful backdrop for one of the great occasions in world golf."

The next edition of the biennial team event will be held at Hazeltine, Minnesota in September 2016 while Whistling Straits, Wisconsin is to stage the matches in 2020.

Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups against the United States.