Table of Contents
The 44th Ryder Cup golf tournament has started. It is being held at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy.
This event is a unique competition between golfers from Europe and the United States. Many fans from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean were excited for the start. Some fans waited in line early in the morning to get the best spots to watch the golf.
The gates to the golf course opened at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, and fans rushed in with cheers. Before the tournament started, the main stands near the first tee were full.
About 150,000 people are expected to attend the tournament by Sunday.
One of the highlights so far was a special chant called the “thunderclap,” which fans did together. This chant became famous when the Iceland soccer team used it during a tournament in 2016. Nicolas Colsaerts, a golfer on Team Europe, started the chant.
The golfers can really feel the energy from the fans. Jon Rahm, a golfer from Spain, said he felt nervous but excited when he heard the cheers before he teed off.
Team Europe had a strong start. They won the first four matches.
Fans are not just there to watch golf, they also wear fun and creative costumes. Some fans dressed as gladiators and others wore wigs and vests to support Jon Rahm, nicknamed “Rambo.”
Celebrities like Novak Djokovic, Gareth Bale, and Carlos Sainz have also attended the event and added to the excitement.
Vocabulary
- Tournament – a contest or competition with only one winner after many games/rounds
- Hold – to organize; to arrange; to have an event; host
- Unique – One of a kind or different from everything else; special
- Competition – contest; game to find the best or a winner; tournament
- Fan – a person who likes a sport, team, or celebrity; supporter; follower
- Wait in line – to stand in a row and wait your turn, like when you’re waiting to buy tickets; to stand and wait with other people
- Gate – a door or entrance to a place, like a stadium or a park
- Golf course – a big grassy field with holes where people play the game of golf
- Rush – To move quickly; to act or do urgently
- Cheer – to make loud, happy noises to show support or excitement
- Stands – the seats where people sit to watch a game or event
- Tee – a small wooden or plastic thing used in golf to hold the ball before you hit it
- Expect – to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Attend – be present at a place or event; to go to an event; to be at an event
- Highlight – to make clear; to bring people’s attention to it; to emphasize
- Chant – when people say something together in a fun or rhythmic way, like cheering
- Tee off – to hit the ball from the tee at the start of each hole or match
- Match – A match is a game or contest between two teams or individuals where they try to win by playing a sport
- Creative – using your imagination, thoughts or ideas to make something unique and interesting
- Costume – the clothing that actors and actresses wear in a movie, play or TV show; clothing people wear for fun
- Gladiator – a person in ancient times who fought in an arena for entertainment, they usually wore metal armor and had swords ⚔️
- Wig – fake hair that you can wear on your head to change how you look
- Vest – a sleeveless piece of clothing that you wear over your shirt; 🦺
- Nickname – A name that is given to someone instead of their real name; a short name that people use instead of a person’s real name
- Celebrity – a famous person
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Did you know that golf fans could be loud and colorful? Do you think golf fans have changed in recent years? Is it good or bad?
- Have you ever attended a sports event? What was your experience like?
- Why do you think celebrities like Novak Djokovic and Gareth Bale attended the Ryder Cup?
- Do you think events like the Ryder Cup help bring people from different countries together? Why or why not?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
The 44th Ryder Cup golf _____ has started. It is being held at the Marco Simone Golf Club in _____, Italy.
This event is a unique _____ between golfers from Europe and the United States. Many fans from _____ sides of the Atlantic Ocean _____ excited for the start. Some fans waited in line early in the _____ to get the best spots to watch the golf.
The _____ to the golf course opened at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, and _____ rushed in with cheers. Before the tournament _____, the main stands near the first tee were full.
About _____ people are expected to attend the tournament by _____.
One of the highlights so far was a _____ chant called the “thunderclap,” which fans did _____. This chant became famous when the Iceland _____ team used it during a tournament in 2016. Nicolas Colsaerts, a golfer on Team Europe, _____ the chant.
The golfers can _____ feel the energy from the fans. Jon Rahm, a golfer from _____, said he felt nervous but excited when he _____ the cheers before he teed off.
Team Europe had a strong start. They won the _____ four matches.
Fans are not just _____ to watch golf, they also wear fun and creative _____. Some fans dressed as gladiators and _____ wore wigs and vests to support Jon Rahm, nicknamed “Rambo.”
_____ like Novak Djokovic, Gareth Bale, and Carlos Sainz have also attended the _____ and added to the excitement.
