Europeans could be excused for letting their emotions get the better of themselves after winning back the Ryder Cup in Rome on Sunday, but one senior gentleman took his euphoria to the next level.
No sooner had Rickie Fowler conceded the putt to Tommy Fleetwood on the 16th hole that confirmed the trophy would be staying in Rome than the celebrations started to get underway.
Almost immediately after the fate of the contest was sealed, a man who appeared to be in his 60s at best, broke through the spectator barrier and darted across the green before hurling himself into the lake, much to the amusement of the thousands of spectators congregated around the putting service.
A video of the comical incident quickly appeared on social media, but it turns out that the extrovert male was not quite done with his self-appointed role of course jester.
After stepping out of the lake with his smart all-cream attire now soaked through, the man walked across the green before the crowd started to chant “one more time” at their new hero.
Another video shared on X by BBC presenter Dan Walker shows the man hearing the request and stopping dead in his tracks before turning around and running straight back towards the lake which he then dived straight back into.
Not done with his antics, the pensioner stands in the middle of the lake and starts a thunderclap – the mass ritual that has become synonymous with the European team.
After clambering back out of the lack, the sodden man takes a moment to milk the applause and with the crowd now in the palm of his hand, orchestrates an even bigger thunderclap.
TV personality Walker posted: “This is EVEN better. Remember the fella who jumped in the water at the #RyderCup on the 16th hole? Well, this is what happened next…”
Following the first video, the man had been nicknamed Colonel Sanders due to his likeness to the KFC character. Others had labelled him Captain Birdseye.
Such was the energy created by the second thunderclap that our bearded star could not resist throwing himself back in the water once more.
The antics of ‘Colonial Sanders’ set the tone for wild celebrations after Europe regained the Ryder Cup from the USA with a 16.5-11.5 victory. The Americans had arrived as the cup holders but were greeted by an avalanche of colour and noise at the Marco Simone Golf & Country club on the outskirts of Rome.
