Molinari still bears scars of his Masters meltdown
THE BEST golfer of last year says he needs to wait until the end of the season ‘when I’m in a calmer mood’ to work out why this campaign has not gone to plan. But the truth is, Francesco Molinari already knows the answer.
For the wider sporting world, that fateful final day at Augusta National in April has entered folklore as the one that gave us the Masters miracle. For the personable Italian, it was the Masters meltdown.
Now, Molinari has admitted the blow his confidence took following his collapse over the back nine, where he found the water at the 12th and 15th to let in Tiger Woods.
‘people told me it would be hard to beat last year, nearly impossible in fact, but until that day at the Masters I picked it up where I left off, and then it stopped,’ said Molinari. ‘Confidence plays a big part in any sport but particularly in golf.
‘I was feeling good coming to Augusta, everything was going my way. After that, it became many little things that I didn’t do quite as well. My ball striking wasn’t as good and I didn’t putt as well. For over a year, it felt like I was pushing a boulder going upwards, but then it started going the other way and it has been hard to stop it.’
Molinari’s results underline his candid assessment in stark detail. In the ten months leading up to the Masters, he won four times worldwide and became the only european to win five points out of five at the Ryder Cup. He drove down Magnolia Lane having claimed the Arnold palmer Invitational with a brilliant final round 64, and followed it by reaching the semi-finals of the WGC-Match play.
‘The Machine,’ as he is often known, was purring as he took the lead heading into the final round of the Masters. He was poised to become the first golfer since Tiger in 2001 to hold the Claret Jug and the green jacket at the same time.
With the ending of that dream, as he says, everything changed. In the 13 events since, Molinari has not mustered a single top-ten finish to fall from sixth in the world to 12th.
One change he has already decided upon ahead of his review is to employ Justin Rose’s old caddie Mark ‘Fooch’ Fulcher, who had to take a year off owing to heart problems but will be restored to full health by January.
Together with an english coach (denis pugh), putting guru (phil Kenyon) and psychologist (dave Alred), it completes the set for the ardent Anglophile, a long-time London resident.
‘I spoke to my caddie pello (Iguaran) after the Italian Open last month and we both agreed we needed a change,’ said Molinari.
‘I called Fooch to see if he was healthy. He achieved pretty much everything with Justin and I always admired the way they worked. He’s a strong personality, so hopefully he will add to my confidence.’
you fancy the off season is coming at just the right time for the driven 36-year-old from Turin. While the rest of the game looks back this december and reflects on that magical afternoon in Georgia, Molinari will be cleansing the mind and learning to forget.