Latest news with #Rocca
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
The Open's 8 greatest moments including Tiger Woods' flawless weekend
The stories of some Championships just demand to be told again and again as we look back on eight memorable moments They're etched into the annals of Open history, but the stories of some Championships just demand to be told again, and again. So here's our pick of eight iconic post-war-year tournaments... The Duel in the Sun You know the story by now. Two all-time greats produced an unforgettable ding-dong at a baking-hot Turnberry in what remains The Open's most iconic day. Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus exchanged blows by sinking birdie after birdie in 1977, with the pendulum swinging one way and then the other. Watson's near 60-foot putt from off the green to go level at 15 struck disbelief into every spectator, and he then birdied 17 to take the lead. When Nicklaus hit his tee shot into a bush on 18, it appeared over but the Golden Bear chopped his ball out of the rough and onto the green – then proceeded to hole the 35-yard putt for birdie to send the crowd into euphoria. The cheers were paused just long enough for Watson to sink his short putt to also birdie, giving him a finish of 65, a single shot better than his great opponent, and once more the supporters erupted. As Watson remarked: 'This is what it's all about, isn't it?' Indeed it is. Between them, they won eight Open titles. Darren's dream comes true Darren Clarke admits he was that kid who used to stand on the green and pretend he had a putt to win The Open. At 43, and the 20th attempt, he finally got to do it for real. Clarke arrived at Royal St George's with his best days seemingly behind him, an overweight, 125-1 outsider. But amid a burst of Northern Irish success, with Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy having also recently won majors, he delivered the week of his life in 2011. Clarke held off Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson on a dramatic Sunday to finally get his hands on the Claret Jug. When he paused during his acceptance to remember first wife Heather, who died in 2006, there was not a dry eye in the house. Rocca and the Valley of Sin Costantino Rocca walked so that Francesco Molinari could run. Prior to Molinari's success at The Open in 2018, Rocca stood out as Italy's greatest-ever golfer and his finest moment came in pursuit of the Claret Jug. In fact, in 1995, Rocca produced a shot that ranks alongside any other in the history of The Open. Having duffed a pitch into St Andrews' famous Valley of Sin when going for an eagle to win the tournament, Rocca found himself facing a 65-foot putt to force a play-off. From the worst shot of his four rounds, Rocca then produced the best, under the greatest pressure of all. His reaction, falling to his knees and thumping the ground in front of him, remains indelibly marked in the memories of anyone watching that day. That John Daly, who he caught with that stunning shot, went onto win the four-hole play-off is perhaps the only reason Rocca's effort is not a unanimous answer when counting down the greatest shots in Open history. The likable Italian never did win a major, but as he said in the aftermath of his loss: 'I'm the most famous runner-up in the world.' Three decades on, that might still be true. Flawless Woods puts on a show The Open returned to St Andrews for the Millennium year and the Old Course was treated to perhaps the most complete performance its ever seen. Having already won the US Open at Pebble Beach by 15 strokes earlier in the year, Tiger Woods produced an equally dominant display to clinch the first of his three Claret Jugs. Woods was in complete control from start to finish, never finding a bunker across the four rounds, while he only made three bogeys - and they all came at the weekend when he was out of sight. His 19-under-par tally was a record for any major at the time and his total of 269 was a record for The Open at St Andrews as he completed the career Grand Slam in style. Woods was victorious again at St Andrews five years later, winning by five shots from Colin Montgomerie, and has repeatedly called the venue his 'favourite course in the world'. Nicklaus bids farewell Woods may have lifted the Claret Jug again in 2005 but even his brilliance could not upstage the legendary Jack Nicklaus. The three-time Champion Golfer called time on his storied relationship with The Open at the age of 65 in a farewell that could not have been more fitting. Rapturous applause and cheers echoed around the famous venue as spectators showed their love for the Golden Bear, greeting every shot with increasingly louder roars of approval. After nailing his drive down the final fairway, Nicklaus waved goodbye one final time as he stepped on the Swilcan Bridge - joined by playing partner and fellow Open legend Tom Watson. And although he missed the cut, Nicklaus finished with a memorable 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to shoot a magnificent even-par 72 in his final competitive round. Van de Velde gets his feet wet From the iconic image of a bare-footed Jean Van de Velde clambering into the Barry Burn to try and play his ball, to local hero Paul Lawrie's play-off triumph – The 1999 Open had it all. Knowing a double bogey on the par-four 18th would hand him the title, Van de Velde pushed his drive far to the right but opted to try and reach the green with a two iron, rather than laying up. He caught his second shot cleanly but it bounced 50 yards backwards off the grandstand next to the 18th green, careered off a rock in the Barry Burn and landed in the deep rough. He duly duffed his third into the burn and entered Open folklore by removing his shoes and socks, rolling up his trousers and wading in after the ball – before ultimately opting to take a drop. From there he pitched his fifth shot into a deep greenside bunker, chipped to eight feet with his sixth and, incredibly, produced a nerveless putt to at least card a 77 and force his way into the four-hole aggregate play-off with Lawrie and Justin Leonard – which Lawrie won. Hugh Campbell, chairman of The R&A Championship Committee, summed it up: 'There was triumph, tragedy, romance, farce, pathos and controversy.' LOWRY THE PIED PIPER It may have taken 68 years for The Open to return to Northern Ireland but it was more than worth the wait. Shane Lowry provided a fitting conclusion to an historic week on the County Antrim coast, as a man from the island of Ireland walked away with the Claret Jug. Moving Day is one that those there will never forget, with a party atmosphere that more resembled Glastonbury than golf. Football chants and pop songs reverberated around the Dunluce Links following a 63 that separated Lowry from the pack, before celebrations ratcheted up a notch after he sealed victory on Sunday. Lowry says he partied for days afterwards – and so did his fellow countrymen. SEVE SHINES No player is more inextricably intertwined with the history of The Open than the late, great Seve Ballesteros. The image of the Spaniard's beaming smile and famous fist pump after sinking the final putt to win at St Andrews in 1984 is one of the most iconic in golf. Ballesteros, a three-time winner, went into Sunday trailing Ian Baker-Finch and Tom Watson by two shots but successfully put pressure on the final group by posting a three-under-par round of 69. He then sealed the title with a birdie on the last, taking him to -12 for the week. The man himself later described the winning putt as 'the happiest moment of my whole sporting life' and the picture of him gesturing wildly afterwards has lived on ever since.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Italy set to speed through $2.3 billion Novo Nordisk investment
ROME (Reuters) -Italian authorities on Monday appointed a special commissioner to help Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk speedily deliver its promised 2 billion-euro ($2.34 billion) investment in a factory south of Rome. As part of Novo Holdings' takeover of pharmaceutical company Catalent last year, Novo Nordisk acquired a site in Italy along with two others, one in Belgium and one in the United States. Francesco Rocca, president of the Lazio region that includes Rome and is where the Anagni factory is based, was made special commissioner for the site, a role that gives him powers to speed up projects related to the facility, including upgrades. The factory will produce weight loss and diabetes drugs, the region said in a statement, adding that Rocca's appointment "aims to ensure administrative speed and institutional coordination, essential elements for a project of this magnitude". Speaking at a news conference, Rocca said production is scheduled to start in late 2026 or early 2027 and the factory upgrade should be fully completed in 2029. Novo Nordisk in an emailed statement declined to provide details on what would be manufactured at the site, but welcomed the Italian government's support. Italy's government approved Novo's plans to upgrade capacity at the Anagni site in March, saying the company had pledged to invest more than 2 billion euros in 2025-2029 and hire around 800 people, boosting the total workforce to 1,500. The government declared the plans to be of "pre-eminent strategic interest", a status granted to large foreign investment projects that allows the fast-tracking of approval procedures. The Lazio region said on Monday it had approved upgrades for road links to the factory worth more than 2.9 million euros. ($1 = 0.8530 euros) Sign in to access your portfolio
Vancouver Sun
26-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Developer makes his pitch: Renting our way out of the Canadian housing crisis
Canada needs 3.5 million more homes in the next five years for our fast-growing population, and one prominent developer sees a solution: purpose-built rental housing. Fitzrovia CEO Adrian Rocca, who has 20 years of real estate experience and has led over $20 billion in transactions across Canada, U.S. and the European Union, maintains that governments need to take certain steps to incentivize more building. Fitzrovia has nearly 9,000 purpose-built rental suites — meaning, not condos — completed or in development in Toronto and Montreal, with 3,000 new homes on track for next year. The company says about a third of Toronto's households have the financial means to rent with them. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Fitzrovia says it is the only Canadian developer that manages and operates the full process in-house, from development, construction to asset and property management, leading to more efficient delivery. Housing accounts for almost one-fifth of Canada's GDP , making it a key driver of economic growth. Facilitating investment in domestic housing is a catalyst for broader economic development, says Rocca. Each avoidable fee or delay represents lost opportunities for Canadian workers, subcontractors, and suppliers to benefit from that investment. Rocca spoke to Dave Gordon for the National Post: What inspired you to found Fitzrovia, and why choose purpose built rentals? I saw home ownership rates are actually quite low in Germany. 70 per cent of the households rent, versus own. When I came back, it felt like there is a negative stigma around renting, and I almost felt empowered or passionate around changing that stigma. I think the quality of rental housing could look vastly different if you put some TLC behind the design, the implementation, the programming, the quality of the materials. We could functionally make that product look uniquely different and bring a sense of pride of rentership, versus home ownership. It doesn't mean that you're a failure if you rent. Why do you believe purpose built rental rather than condos is the solution? We're missing large parts of the demographic in the market that are active renters, that have been alienated from sale housing, like young families and downsizers. We have made a big call as a business to build lots of two and three bedroom units that are generally 20 per cent larger than what's being delivered in the condo market. We create a social infrastructure in these buildings that deals with the new immigrants that are moving into the city with social programming. We have our own school … We also have a healthcare partnership with Cleveland Clinic for new immigrants living in our building. So if any of our residents are feeling sick, they come down to the Cleveland Clinic room. So those are the types of social programs that are really important that the condo markets aren't doing. What are the biggest obstacles to meeting building targets? A lot of it relates to financial incentives. The economic model is under a lot of stress. New starts, depending on the data, are down 50 to 90 per cent. There's not many projects that are ever going to hit the presale threshold of 70 per cent or 80 per cent that's required to get construction financing. Interest rates have really hurt that. Price per square foot dropped by 30 per cent in a year and a half. That's going to crush your margins. It's got to be made up by the government stepping in, and waiving development charges and waiving property tax for 20 years. We've had great engagement with all three levels of government, but we need to turn that engagement to proper policy. When immigration and demand is growing, we're going to have a catastrophe of a housing crisis in three to four years. You can't just turn on the switch, and get new supply coming on the market. Takes four years to put a high rise project into the market, and then get it fully delivered, get it designed, get it approved, pull your permits, and then construct it. If you're fast, it's four years. So it's going to create an extremely tight rental market, which is not good for the end consumer. What kind of specific policy reforms would have the most immediate impact? About 30 per cent of our total development cost to build is municipal fees, development charges, government levies. So development charges are used to fund infrastructure. So as you're building, the city would need the infrastructure to support that housing, which is all fair, very important. The problem is, it's a very archaic form of funding, because that's ultimately passed on to the developer, who's passing it on to the end consumer. In the U.S., they have what's called infrastructure bonds that could get issued, or municipal bonds, to fund out that infrastructure. So you're basically taking 15 per cent cost of financing, which is what the developer needs to earn, because it's very risky to develop high rise rental, and you're replacing that with a 4 per cent cost of debt through these infrastructure bonds. It's a very effective tool. It also brings other forms of capital into the market. We can't do it off pure government funding. We need to partner up with the private sector, and get all forms of funding to the table. Not just institutional capital; it's retail capital, it's foreign capital. What impact do American tariffs have on your project? The tariffs, when we've done our analysis, add about three and a half percent of our costs. Not all developers in Canada, especially around rental housing, are actually owned by Canadians. So we have a firm commitment to support, wherever possible, Canadian suppliers. Could be brick suppliers, brick manufacturers, that could be HVAC solutions, that could be glass, that could be elevator supply, you name it. In some cases, it's more expensive, even with the tariffs, or there's a difference in quality level. So we are actively working with a number of our suppliers, to equalize some of those items, whether it's quality or price. With purpose built rentals, how does Canada win? Canada wins by creating as much new housing as possible, but the right type of quality housing. We want to provide rental housing for the masses, not just for students or young professionals, that are living in a small condo size apartments downtown. It's actually, in a lot of cases, a smart financial decision to rent, and keep the flexibility of being able to live wherever you want to live, and not be saddled by a large mortgage. This interview has been edited for brevity. This is the latest in a National Post series on How Canada Wins. Read earlier instalments here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
26-06-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Developer makes his pitch: Renting our way out of the Canadian housing crisis
Article content Canada needs 3.5 million more homes in the next five years for our fast-growing population, and one prominent developer sees a solution: purpose-built rental housing. Fitzrovia CEO Adrian Rocca, who has 20 years of real estate experience and has led over $20 billion in transactions across Canada, U.S. and the European Union, maintains that governments need to take certain steps to incentivize more building. Article content Fitzrovia has nearly 9,000 purpose-built rental suites — meaning, not condos — completed or in development in Toronto and Montreal, with 3,000 new homes on track for next year. The company says about a third of Toronto's households have the financial means to rent with them. Fitzrovia says it is the only Canadian developer that manages and operates the full process in-house, from development, construction to asset and property management, leading to more efficient delivery. Housing accounts for almost one-fifth of Canada's GDP, making it a key driver of economic growth. Facilitating investment in domestic housing is a catalyst for broader economic development, says Rocca. Each avoidable fee or delay represents lost opportunities for Canadian workers, subcontractors, and suppliers to benefit from that investment. Rocca spoke to Dave Gordon for the National Post: Article content What inspired you to found Fitzrovia, and why choose purpose built rentals? I saw home ownership rates are actually quite low in Germany. 70 per cent of the households rent, versus own. When I came back, it felt like there is a negative stigma around renting, and I almost felt empowered or passionate around changing that stigma. I think the quality of rental housing could look vastly different if you put some TLC behind the design, the implementation, the programming, the quality of the materials. We could functionally make that product look uniquely different and bring a sense of pride of rentership, versus home ownership. It doesn't mean that you're a failure if you rent. Why do you believe purpose built rental rather than condos is the solution? We're missing large parts of the demographic in the market that are active renters, that have been alienated from sale housing, like young families and downsizers. Article content We have made a big call as a business to build lots of two and three bedroom units that are generally 20 per cent larger than what's being delivered in the condo market. We create a social infrastructure in these buildings that deals with the new immigrants that are moving into the city with social programming. We have our own school … We also have a healthcare partnership with Cleveland Clinic for new immigrants living in our building. So if any of our residents are feeling sick, they come down to the Cleveland Clinic room. So those are the types of social programs that are really important that the condo markets aren't doing. What are the biggest obstacles to meeting building targets? A lot of it relates to financial incentives. The economic model is under a lot of stress. New starts, depending on the data, are down 50 to 90 per cent. There's not many projects that are ever going to hit the presale threshold of 70 per cent or 80 per cent that's required to get construction financing. Interest rates have really hurt that. Article content Price per square foot dropped by 30 per cent in a year and a half. That's going to crush your margins. It's got to be made up by the government stepping in, and waiving development charges and waiving property tax for 20 years. We've had great engagement with all three levels of government, but we need to turn that engagement to proper policy. When immigration and demand is growing, we're going to have a catastrophe of a housing crisis in three to four years. You can't just turn on the switch, and get new supply coming on the market. Takes four years to put a high rise project into the market, and then get it fully delivered, get it designed, get it approved, pull your permits, and then construct it. If you're fast, it's four years. So it's going to create an extremely tight rental market, which is not good for the end consumer. What kind of specific policy reforms would have the most immediate impact? Article content About 30 per cent of our total development cost to build is municipal fees, development charges, government levies. So development charges are used to fund infrastructure. So as you're building, the city would need the infrastructure to support that housing, which is all fair, very important. The problem is, it's a very archaic form of funding, because that's ultimately passed on to the developer, who's passing it on to the end consumer. In the U.S., they have what's called infrastructure bonds that could get issued, or municipal bonds, to fund out that infrastructure. So you're basically taking 15 per cent cost of financing, which is what the developer needs to earn, because it's very risky to develop high rise rental, and you're replacing that with a 4 per cent cost of debt through these infrastructure bonds. It's a very effective tool. It also brings other forms of capital into the market. Article content We can't do it off pure government funding. We need to partner up with the private sector, and get all forms of funding to the table. Not just institutional capital; it's retail capital, it's foreign capital. What impact do American tariffs have on your project? The tariffs, when we've done our analysis, add about three and a half percent of our costs. Not all developers in Canada, especially around rental housing, are actually owned by Canadians. So we have a firm commitment to support, wherever possible, Canadian suppliers. Could be brick suppliers, brick manufacturers, that could be HVAC solutions, that could be glass, that could be elevator supply, you name it. In some cases, it's more expensive, even with the tariffs, or there's a difference in quality level. So we are actively working with a number of our suppliers, to equalize some of those items, whether it's quality or price. Article content Latest National Stories
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Filming Italy Sardegna Plans To Serve As A Bridge Between Italy & The U.S.
Now entering its eighth edition, Filming Italy Sardegna is gearing up for what looks set to be its buzziest event to date. Founded by Tiziana Rocca, the film and television event kicks off June 19, 2025, at Forte Village in Cagliari, Sardinia. The festival will present more than 70 films, many of which are Italian or world premieres. Notable titles in the line-up this year include Steven Soderbergh's Presence, starring Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan; Reflection in a Dead Diamond, the critically acclaimed spy thriller from Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani; and Karate Kid: Legends, directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The festival will open with the film Poveri Noi by Fabrizio Maria Cortese, starring Paolo Ruffini on Thursday. More from Deadline Roastmaster Jeff Ross Lands Venue For Broadway Summer Stand, Sets Opening Date 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Harry Shum Jr Is A Nurse On The Edge In First Trailer For Movie 'Do No Harm' X Games Competition Series In The Works At Bunim/Murray 'The lineup is incredibly rich and diverse, spanning multiple genres, regions and perspectives,' says Rocca, who also returned this year as artistic director of the Taormina Film Festival, which wrapped June 14. She says that Sardegna is different to Taormina in that it is 'more grounded in mentorships and education'. For her, she sees the four-day event serving as 'a powerful platform for introducing cinema to younger generations.' 'Filming in Italy Sardegna was created to give real visibility and opportunities to the next generation,' says Rocca. 'Reaching our eighth edition is a proud milestone and it proves that our efforts are making a difference. Our purpose is to support young talent, foster industry connections, highlight female voices and promote both Italian and international cinema.' She points to the festival's short film competition, which is organized in partnership with the University of Cagliari, as one of the star events of the festival. The short film jury will be presided over by actress and director Macaela Ramazzotti, and she will be joined by Heather Graham, Alec Baldwin, Rocío Muñoz Morales, Riccardo Milani, Aurora Giovinazzo and Giacomo Giorgio. There's also a strong emphasis for the festival to spotlight women in the industry and this year, Sardegna is honoring The Last Showgirl director Gia Coppola with the Women Power Excellence Award. 'Her presence is a source of great pride for our festival and a tangible sign of the increasingly strong link between American cinema and our country,' says Rocca. Other notable guests this year include Simon Baker, who will receive the Filming Italy Excellence Award, and Cuba Gooding Jr., who will be honored with the Filming Italy Creativity Award. French actress Anouchka Delon will also attend, receiving an award in memory of her father Alain. Italian actress Martina Stella will act as the fest's godmother. Television will also play a central role at the event this year. 'Today's audience consumes stories across both film and TV, and we fully embrace that evolution,' Rocca says. In addition to Baker, other major TV stars such as Fran Drescher (The Nanny), Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn), Melissa Roxburgh (Manifest), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Karen Pittman (The Morning Show) and many others are set to touch down on the Italian island. 'Their presence highlights how storytelling has expanded into serialized formats with equal artistic value,' says Rocca, adding that many will be participating in masterclasses, public talks and conversations with students. 'Their insight and experience will inspire dialogue around the future of cinema, storytelling and artistic collaboration.' Promoting the region, in particular Sardinia as a prime filming destination, has also been a core objective for Rocca as she has been steadily building the event across the last eight years. 'I chose Cagliari and southern Sardinia specifically because these locations are breathtaking yet underrepresented in global cinema. Through the festival we are shining a spotlight on the island's landscapes, culture and infrastructure, encouraging international filmmakers to consider Sardinia for their next project.' She adds: 'We're also proud to note that Sardegna is a plastic-free, eco-conscious festival. We highlight films that raise awareness around sustainability and environmental issues, especially for younger audiences.' Filming In Sardegna takes place June 19-22, 2025. Best of Deadline Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Winners Through The Years Deadline Studio At Sundance Film Festival Photo Gallery: Dylan O'Brien, Ayo Edebiri, Jennifer Lopez, Lily Gladstone, Benedict Cumberbatch & More TIFF People's Choice Award Winners Through The Years: Photo Gallery
