‘Moliwood’ breaks up as duo decide to put Race to Dubai ahead of bromance
From the warm shoulder to the cold shoulder; from pillow talk to trash talk. Both Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari – aka “Moliwood” – admit it will be “awkward” to play against the other after their successful Ryder Cup “bromance” but both are adamant there will be no room for sentiment.
It is not just the British Masters title on the line here for the duo, but also the European Tour’s Race To Dubai order of merit prize. Molinari is in first place with Fleetwood, the defending champion, in second and although there are more than a million points between them, that gap can easily be made up in the next six weeks.
So, from being the best of friends who set a Europe record by winning all four of their matches together at Le Golf National two weeks ago, they are now the best of rivals.
“Tommy finished second last week [at the Dunhill Links] and he’s in great form so I still need to try and beat him to stay ahead in the Race to Dubai,” Molinari said. “It’s funny that of all people, he’s the one right behind me. It’s going to be a little strange to try and beat each other instead of playing as a team. I might give him a cold shoulder and see how he takes it.”
Molinari was joking, responding to the news that Fleetwood had announced he might indulge in some sledging with the man with whom in the hours after the victory he posed in a humorous social-media video sharing a bed cradling the Ryder Cup between them. But believe it, Fleetwood is intent on keeping the Harry Vardon Trophy.
“Finishing runner-up last week got me closer and trying to retain the title is a big motivation,” he said. “But it’s still in his hands. I need to win at least once in the coming weeks and probably contend once or twice more. But if I can get to Dubai next month with a realistic chance of finishing top, then it will set it all up nicely.”
Justin Rose also has a chance of winning the Race to Dubai and completing the European-american double after winning last month’s Fedex Cup. Rose, the tournament host here, has to be the favourite to prevail on this fine Surrey course although was forced to cancel his media duties yesterday because of a stomach bug. He is expected to be fit to tee it up and has the extra incentive of knowing that a top-two placing will see him reclaim the world No1 spot.
Another threeball sure to attract attention is that of Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn and two of his Le Golf National vice-captains in Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington. Westwood announced yesterday that he does not want to be considered as a candidate to lead Europe at Whistling Straits in 2020, leaving Harrington with an uninterrupted pathway to the role. The decision will be made in December.