Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Dubai set for a Moliwood bromance
FRANCESCO MOLINARI travels to this week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship bidding to end an epic year as Europe’s number one golfer.
What a huge incentive for the likeable Italian who has enjoyed a remarkable 2018 to date.
Molinaro has said it would be “amazing” to be crowned Race to Dubai champion because “it is something I struggled to see myself do”.
But as things stand it would be a shock if he doesn’t top the order of merit come Sunday.
He leads the chasing pack by more than 1m with Tommy Fleetwood, who struck up a 'Moliwood' bromance with Fankie at the Ryder Cup, his nearest challenger.
Molinar's rise to the top really started when he outgunned Rory at Wentworth in May to win his first ever BMW PGA Championship.
He had always been the bridesmaid there – he was runner-up in 2017 and had five top-10 finishes in his previous six outings – so to finally get over the line was special.
It was also his first Rolex Series win and a triumph that provided a platform for what was to come.
We were seeing a mentally stronger, more assured Frankie – a player who believed he could mix it with the best in the world.
The quality of his game was never in question – just his ability to match it with silverware – and now we were seeing both.
Golfers are judged by their achievements and when you are at the top of the game, true success is only ever determined by victories.
Since his arrival on tour in 2005, Frankie had always been a steady player, enjoying the odd win here and there and making a good living from the sport.
But inconsistency and a lack of ruthlessness were weak points that paved the way for him dropping out of the Race to Dubai top-30 in 2015 and 2016.
I firmly believe it’s how you respond to setbacks that determines the next chapter of your career and Frankie reacted by having a rootand-branch review of Team Molinari.
A new caddy and performance coach were employed and more importantly, he assumed a more ruthless approach to his golf.
The results were almost immediate. He finished ninth in last year’s Race To Dubai and has taken his game to a new level this year.
To secure three wins including a maiden major – at Carnoustie in July – and play a key role for Europe in the Ryder Cup makes it a superb 2018 so far.
And he has the opportunity to cap it off in style.
It’s almost fitting that Molinari and Fleetwood, who starred together at the Ryder Cup, find themselves locked in a shootout to be named Europe’s top golfer.
Drama in Dubai brought to you by Moliwood.
I can’t wait.
It’s fitting that Molinari and Fleetwood find themselves locked in a shootout