One more push and my Race will be run
Molinari knows top five in Dubai will seal title after amazing year
FRANCESCO MOLINARI has enjoyed a season of firsts – but the Ryder Cup star is looking forward to two more before he can finally reflect on a remarkable year.
Molinari became the first Italian to win a Major when he claimed The Open at Carnoustie following victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and a maiden PGA Tour title in the Quicken Loans National.
He then became the first European player to compile a perfect 5-0 record in the Ryder Cup triumph at Le Golf National, having already teamed up with Tommy Fleetwood to become the first European pair to win all four of their matches together.
Now Molinari, 36, is primed to win the Race to Dubai for the first time before becoming the first golfer to be awarded the Collare d’oro al merito sportivo – the Italian National Olympic Committee’s top honour.
He said: “It’s definitely going to be a special moment. So far it has only been given to Olympic gold medallists or world champions. It shows how well my win at The Open was
received and hopefully it’s another step towards golf being more popular in Italy.
“Since May it has all been going very fast and so many things happened one after the other I haven’t had time to sit down and think it through.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to do the job this week then sit down next week and start reflecting on the season and digest everything that’s happened, starting to prepare for next year. I’ve seen my family in London but I haven’t been back to Italy (since The Open).
“There are a few people I’d like to share the Claret Jug with, probably a lot less people than the requests I get so I’ll have to manage that but it’s going to be fun.” Molinari leads Fleetwood by just over a million points in the Race to Dubai ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. A top-five finish will guarantee him the title even if Fleetwood, the reigning European No.1, were to win. The ‘Moliwood’ pair will play together in tomorrow’s first round and Molinari admits their close friendship will make it impossible to attempt any sort of mind games. He added: “If I don’t win I’d rather see him win than anyone else. For me it has been a great season and however it goes this week, I’ll still have lots of great memories from all I’ve done – and probably the best memory is what we did together in France. “I would never have guessed in April I’d be in this position but it has been an incredible summer topped by an unbelievable Ryder Cup.”