The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Ryder Cup hero Molinari named Tour’s golfer of the year
GOLF: Italian who swept all before him in 2018 is voted Golfer of the Year
Francesco Molinari has reflected on “a very special” 2018 after being named golfer of the year by the European Tour.
Molinari enjoyed a stellar year, becoming the first Italian to win a major when he claimed the Open Championship at Carnoustie, which followed victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and a maiden PGA Tour title in the Quicken Loans National.
The 36-year-old then became the first European player to compile a perfect 5-0 record in the Ryder Cup as he won his singles match in the hosts’ victory 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.
Molinari rounded off a remarkable year by becoming the first Italian to win the Race to Dubai last month, holding off Masters champion Patrick Reed and 2017 Race to Dubai champion Fleetwood to finish the year as the European Tour’s number one.
Molinari is a first-time winner of the prestigious golfer of the year award, which is decided by a panel of golfing media.
“It is a huge honour to be named the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Year,” Molinari, who received the award in London yesterday, told the European Tour’s website.
“So many great names have earned this honour, and I feel very proud to join them.
“It is an award that means a lot to me, and is a nice way to end a very special year.
“Winning at Wentworth, in one of our biggest events, gave me a lot of confidence for the summer, but obviously winning the Open at Carnoustie, becoming my country’s first major champion, was incredible.
“To then go on to win the Race to Dubai and be part of that European Ryder Cup team in France was amazing. I’ll always look back on this season and be proud of what happened.”
And European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley added: “There is so much to celebrate after another fantastic season on the European Tour, which saw so many of our members excel on the global stage, and 12 in particular during a spectacular Ryder Cup in France.
“But it is right that we pay special tribute to Francesco Molinari, who repeatedly made history this year.
“Francesco is not just a phenomenal golfer, he is a wonderful person, too, and throughout this season he consistently reminded us what a magnificent ambassador he is for our game.”