The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Molinari’s still riding high
It has been a season of firsts for Francesco Molinari, but the Ryder Cup star is looking forward to two more before he reflects on a remarkable year.
Molinari became 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 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.
Now Molinari is primed to win the Race to Dubai for the first time before becoming the first golfer to earn the Collare d’oro al merito sportivo, the highest honour conferred by the Italian National Olympic Committee.
“It’s definitely going to be a special moment,” Molinari said. “I think so far it’s 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’s all been going very quickly and so many things happening one after the other, that I haven’t had time really to sit down and think through what’s happened in the last few months.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to do the job this week and then sit down next week and start reflecting on the season and digest everything that’s happened, before starting to prepare for next year.
“I’ve seen my family in London but I haven’t been back to Italy (since winning the Open). There are a few people I’d like to share the Claret Jug with, probably a lot less 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, where a top-five finish will guarantee him the title even if Fleetwood, the reigning European number one, were to win.
The “Moliwood” pair will play together in Thursday’s first round and Molinari concedes their friendship will make it impossible to attempt mind games.
“I know we’re going to sound really cheesy, but if I don’t win I’d rather see him win than anyone else,” Molinari said.
“We really are good friends and to think he comes here still with a chance to win two in a row, it’s incredible, really.
“For me it’s been a great season and however it goes this week, I’m still going to have lots of great memories.
“Probably the best memory is what we’ve done together with him in France.
“I can’t really be mad at him, even if he wins.”
Inverness golfer Russell Knox is the only Scot in the field. He partners Kiradech Aphibarnrat in today’s opening round at 7.40am.