Masterful Molinari moves into contention
Five birdies in bogey-free 67 for Open champion puts him in frame for title tilt
A year ago, Francesco Molinari’s presence on those giant Masters leaderboards would barely have been recognised by the majority of fans at Augusta National. They all know about him now, though. Winning the Open Championship at Carnoustie last summer, then becoming a historymaker by claiming five points out of five in the Ryder Cup in France saw to that.
Another Italian job could now be on the cards on one of golf ’s biggest stages. After backing up an opening 70 with a 67, Molinari reached the halfway stage in the 83rd Masters on seven-underpar. Alongside him on that mark are Brooks Koepka, one of the first-round leaders, and Australian Jason Day, who required on-course treatment for a back problem on the second hole on Thursday but has been Lazarus-like in carding the same two scores as Molinari.
The trio have Dustin Johnson, the world No 2, breathing down their necks heading into the weekend. He’s one behind, with Ian Poulter and Phil Mickelson, who would become the oldest-ever major winner at 48 if he can claim a fourth Green Jacket, also in the mix on five and four-under respectively
On a day that was decidedly dreich as the opening groups headed out, Molinari sparked his move by spinning a wedge to three feet at the fourth. Illustrating how much his short game has improved over the past year or so, the 36-yearold then got up and down from 24 yards after coming up just short of the green at the long eighth.
He then made the most of a stroke of fortune as his approach at the ninth stayed up on the top shelf at the back of the green, knocking in a 15-footer for birdie, before rounding off the sort of polished performance that has become his trademark – this one was a bogey-free effort – with a birdie-2 at the 12th from 25 feet.
“I’m really happy the way I played and the way we managed the strategy with my caddie,” said Molinari, who recorded his best finish in this event when tying for 20th 12 months ago but has become a golfing god since then. “I feel a massive difference when I’m on the greens or around the greens compared to my previous [seven] times here.”
Prior to those playing appearances, he caddied for his older brother, Edoardo, when he teed up in 2006 as the US Amateur champion and was paired with Tiger Woods in the opening two rounds. “Miles away,” replied Molinari, who had just started out on the European Tour at the time, to being asked if he felt close to playing here himself back then.
“It was a great motivation to see how good the guys were and, at the same time, how much I needed to improve to hopefully one day get here. At the time, the goal was to maybe only be once in my career at Augusta. That would have been an achievement for me.”
Day, who tied for second here on his debut in 2011 then finished third two years later, hurt his back as he bent down to give his daughter a hug before heading out in the first round. “Not the greatest start,” admitted the 31-yearold. But, helped by receiving on-course treatment from his personal chiropractor, he has managed to manoeuvre himself into contention for a second major to add to the 2015 US PGA Championship. “Things have started to loosen up, which is great,” he added.
Koepka, who has won three of the last six majors he’s teed up in, had been the only player in the 87-man field to be bogey-free in the opening circuit. In contrast, his second round was an up-and-down affair, including a birdie-double bogey-birdie start. “It was a lot different today,” admitted the 2013 Scottish Challenge winner afterwards. “I did not strike the ball as well while I didn’tmakemanyputts,struggling with the left-to-right ones.”
Rounds of 68 and 70 have left Johnson lurking ominously. “I’m very satisfied,” said the 2016 US Open champion of his position on the leaderboard, which saw Bryson Dechambeau drop from joint-top with Koepka on seven-under at the start of the day to three-under following a 75.
Poulter’s best finish here is tied for sixth in 2015. But he’s off to his best start since 2010
Francesco Molinari plays from a bunker on the second hole yesterday as he moved into title contention alongside Brooks Koepka and Jason Day, pictured inset, at seven under par. A birdie 2 from 25 feet at the 12th was among the highlights of the Italian’s fiveunder-par round of 67.
after rounds of 68-71. Zach Johnson, one of his playing partners, accidentally hit his ball taking a practice swing on the 13th but got to take it again as there was no intent on the first occasion. “I’ve done it. We’ve all done it,” said Poulter of that funny incident.
Bernhard Langer, a two-time winner, is through to the weekend at the age of 61. Three birdies in the final five holes left him on one-under at the halfway stage.
It’s the fifth time in the last seven years that the machinelike German has made the cut here.
Jordan Spieth, a younger Masters specialist, is also still standing as he bounced back from an opening 75 – he was out in 40 – with a gutsy 68.