By Matt Smith
As the DP World Tour prepares for a 2023 Ryder Cup dress rehearsal of sorts at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club this week, there is one unique sideshow that could produce the headline act.

Not one, not two, but three sets of brothers will line up in the stellar field in Rome — a first for the DP World Tour.

First up is defending champion Nicolai Hojgaard and his sibling Rasmus. These identical twins like to do things together — including winning. Nicolai won his first DP World Tour title at the Italian Open last time around, only a week after Rasmus claimed Omega European Masters in Switzerland, becoming the first brothers to win back-to-back events on Tour.

The victory was part of a strong end to the 2021 season as Nicolai went on to finish runner-up at the Portugal Masters and tied fourth at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, helping him close out the season eighth on the season-long rankings. Since then, the 21-year-old has gone to win his second Tour title with a four-shot victory at the Ras al Khaimah Championship in the UAE in February.

Edoardo (left) and Francesco Molinari have become Ryder Cup stars. Adrian Dennis

Next up are the elder statesmen Molinaris, famed for their band-of-brothers exploits in the Ryder Cup for Team Europe and a collective 20 top-flight titles between them — including Francesco’s famous Open Championship triumph at Carnoustie in Scotland.

From two of the most recognisable brothers in world golf to one of the newest kids on the block. No, not Matt Fitzpatrick, the reigning US Open champ, but his little bruv Alex, who just turned pro in June at the Irish Open. A breakthrough DP World Tour victory for Alex this week would see the Fitzpatricks become the fifth pair of brothers to have both earned at least one victory.

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick. David Cannon

It won’t be easy for the rookie as, apart from his brother and those other multiple-title-winning siblings, he will also have to contend with the likes of FEdEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy, world No. 10 Viktor Hovland, former Italian Open winners Tyrrell Hatton and Thorbjorn Olesen and a hosts of DP World Tour winners in a stacked field.

But you cannot beat a bit of sibling rivalry.

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The post DP World Tour: Italian Open set for a band of brothers appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Which makes sense. But European captain Henrik Stenson’s recent choice of Edoardo Molinari as the second of his vice-captain (Thomas Bjorn was the first) is a little different from the norm. Instead of naming a trusted lieutenant then finding him a role within the team structure, Stenson has reversed that well-worn procedure. Knowing he needed a man schooled in the shot statistics many players now use to analyse their performances with every club in the bag, the former Open champion has gone for the best man available in the former US Amateur champion.

Which also makes sense. Molinari already has a burgeoning business working with more than 20 players on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Thomas Pieters, Adri Arnaus, Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard and Victor Perez are just a few of his clients.

“I can’t remember who it was, but a few years ago I was told by someone, not a player, that not looking at stats is like running a company and not knowing where you are making and losing money,” says Molinari, who was part of the winning European side in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. “Or what your policy should be going forward. Or who your best clients are. I know some guys on tour who don’t keep stats. They don’t realise how much of an advantage it is to know exactly what is going on in your game. They don’t know why they play well. They don’t know their strengths or their weaknesses. They don’t know what courses suit them and which ones don’t.”

Molinari owns an engineering degree from the University of Turin. The 41-year-old first became interested in the numbers game when it became clear that his impression of his own game was actually far from the reality.

“A couple of years ago at Wentworth I felt like I hit the ball well off the tee, but was poor with my irons,” he says. “The rest of my game was pretty average. Or so I thought. But when I looked at my stats at the end of the week my coach asked me if I had noticed anything with my irons. I told him I felt like I had hit a lot of pulls to the left. Anyway, over the four rounds I missed 25 greens. And I missed 16 on the right and nine on the left. So the pulls I remembered represented only about one-third of my total misses. My mind deceived me.”

From then on Molinari used numbers to plan his on-course strategy. “I look at the ideal line on every hole given my tendencies,” he says. “I’ve been playing much better doing that. I stand on every tee knowing the perfect line. For me. So I know that club to hit. That is vital, especially when there are a lot of bunkers in play. I also know where to aim and what to hit on every approach shot. I think that helps separate myself from the rest.”

In picking Molinari, Stenson changed how Ryder Cup vice captains are normally chosen. Getty Images

Answering those sorts of questions for others on Stenson’s behalf is Molinari’s responsibility over the next 16 months or so, long before the Italian takes his place alongside the Swede at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club just outside Rome. Indeed, most of Molinari’s work will be finished before the Ryder Cup starts. And while he will be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the European players, the Americans also will come under his microscope. All of which will then help Stenson create the course set-up that will, statistically at least, be most advantageous for the home team.

“I have already had a look at the course,” Molinari says. “We have all the shot-by-shot data from last year’s Italian Open. I’m not going to go into detail at this stage, but we already know what kind of player is best suited to the course. So we also know what subtle changes we need to make in order to favour our best players. When it is a home Ryder Cup, perhaps the biggest edge you have is the golf course.

“The wildcard selection process will be a combination of tweaking the course to suit the team and tweaking the team to suit the course,” he continues. “Even at this stage, everyone can probably figure out the core of our team. So you start with those. Then you do the same with the Americans who will almost certainly be there. Then, as we get closer to the matches, you make any adjustments that will best suit our guys. It’s all based on probabilities and outcomes.”

Indeed, but only one figure really matters of course — 14.5 — the number of points Europe will need to regain the Ryder Cup.

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The post Molinari: The bold move that just nudged Europe closer to winning back the Ryder Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Team Europe captain Henrik Stenson has announced his second Vice Captain in the hope of some local knowledge can help the side regain the Ryder Cup.

Italian Edoardo Molinari will line up alongside the Swede and fellow Vice Captain Thomas Bjorn for the competition which will be held at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome from September 25 to October 1, 2023.

Molinari, alongside his brother Francesco, was part of the victorious Team Europe at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales. He has also won three times on the DP World Tour and has made 356 Tour appearances to date.

Molinari will be a popular addition to Team Europe among the home support when Italy hosts the biennial contest for the first time next year.

He said: “It is fantastic. I played the Ryder Cup in 2010 and to be able to be a Vice Captain in this one is a dream come true. It was a very unexpected call from Henrik. We had chatted a few times about stats and what I could do to help the team, but I never expected this.

“Knowing Henrik, he will leave no stone unturned. He will do everything he can to win the Ryder Cup back. It will be a lot of fun for all the guys playing for him too. He has always been a very friendly guy, and is always smiling, so I think it will be a fantastic atmosphere in the team room.

“The Italian fans will be loud and passionate at Marco Simone. For the players, it will be a lot of fun to play in front of such supportive crowds. Rome is a fantastic city, one of my favourites in the world. It is going to be a great week overall and I am very happy that the players will get to experience Rome.”

Stenson added: “I’m delighted to welcome Edoardo to the 2023 European Ryder Cup team as a Vice Captain. I’ve known him for a long time and he is obviously a Ryder Cup player himself. He is really into stats and he works with a few of the players who will potentially be on my team.

“I asked him if he would do me the honour of joining the team and he was delighted to. I’m very happy to have him on board and I’m very much looking forward to his input and to lean on his experience. With him being Italian, it is going to be an extra special week for him.

“I envisage Thomas and Edoardo as the working group that I will lean on for the foreseeable future. There will be a lot of healthy discussion and input between us. I’m delighted to have both of them as part of Team Europe.”

Molinari and his brother Francesco followed compatriot Costantino Rocca into Ryder Cup folklore when they represented Europe in the Ryder Cup in 2010 at Celtic Manor.

The Molinaris became the first brothers to compete against the United States since Bernard and Geoffrey Hunt played in the 1963 Great Britain & Ireland team, when they played in the 2010 contest. They halved their fourball match against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, while Edoardo contributed another crucial half point in his singles match against Rickie Fowler as Europe triumphed 14.5-13.5.

In addition to his three victories on the DP World Tour, Molinari was also the Challenge Tour No. 1 in 2009 and was, for a number of years, a respected member of the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee.

Before turning professional Molinari won the 2005 US Amateur Championship and alongside Francesco, claimed the World Cup of Golf for Italy in 2009 at Mission Hills in China.

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The post Henrik Stenson names Edoardo Molinari as Team Europe Ryder Cup Vice Captain appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

WE’RE BUYING

Sungjae Im: Tales of this young man’s ball-striking were not exaggerated. He is the real deal. And he won’t turn 22 until the end of the month. Congrats to Im on picking up his first PGA Tour title at the Honda Classic. And the Presidents Cupper did it in rather impressive fashion by firing at the flagstick on both of the vaunted Bear Trap’s par 3s. Those shots that set up two clutch birdies were so impressive that runner-up Mackenzie Hughes paid his playing partner the ultimate sign of respect:

Mackenzie Hughes perfectly sums up Sungjae’s Sunday at Honda.

(Wait for it.) pic.twitter.com/K92B2FINk2

— Skratch (@Skratch) March 1, 2020

Transatlantic Twitter war: With so many awful things going on in the world, it’s great having Golf Twitter getting up and arms about something an announcer said. Here’s the clip that nearly reignited the Revolutionary War:

Is paul Azinger a complete moron??? 'THAT' tour…. and a wobble of the head at @WestwoodLee s amazing wins on the #europeantour .
Who the hell is Mark Wilson also.??? pic.twitter.com/l2G1niQ5bX

— SHanny (@HansonStuart) March 1, 2020

Was Azinger’s tone condescending? Yes. Did he (and others involved in NBC’s broadcast) focus too much on the fact that Tommy Fleetwood, a five-time European Tour winner and Ryder Cup star, has yet to win on the PGA Tour? Probably. But like it or not, it is a fact that the PGA Tour is the better tour and that Fleetwood has yet to win on it. And it’s a fact that Fleetwood is well aware of and agrees with:

From Fleetwood’s own mouth. His words, not ours. Not trying to devalue winning tournaments around the world. Winning anywhere is extremely hard. But these guys know that winning in the US is a step in their careers. That’s all. Not sure what all the fuss is about. pic.twitter.com/2lNhflNNIT

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) March 1, 2020

And as rough as it was seeing Fleetwood find the water on the 72nd hole and blow a chance at the maiden PGA Tour title, European Golf Twitter would have been insufferable. Although I do love seeing British slang like “bollocks,” “wanker,” and “shiite.” I need to start incorporating those words more.

Lee Westwood: For one thing, it’s always nice to see a late-career revival. For another, I loved Westwood’s “Ask your parents” response when he gets asked about what it was like in the 90s. And finally, yes, I had a little money on the man, both to win (sigh) and finish top 10 (cha-ching). Our Christopher Powers dubbed Lee’s 2019 Open Championship run “Westy’s Last Stand,” but he’s still got plenty in the tank.

Rickie Fowler’s schedule: The PGA Tour star said he spends 25 to 30 days per year with sponsors, including shooting commercials. I’m totally buying it because his face is everywhere during a golf broadcast and he looks like a NASCAR driver with all those sponsors on his shirt. He’s also over 30, married, and out of the top 25 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Hey, you’ve got to pay the bills somehow.

WE’RE SELLING

Tiger’s new schedule: Tiger Woods skipping the Arnold Palmer Invitational isn’t reason for his fans to panic, but the latest indication that the rest of his career will consist of a very limited schedule is still sad. In an effort to avoid back-to-back starts, Tiger is opting not to play at a place where he’s won eight times and possibly the spot that gives him the best chance for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour title. But Woods is far more concerned about increasing his major total, and considering he also skipped this event last year, maybe this isn’t the worst news. . .

Andrew Redington

Brooks Koepka’s responses: I love Blunt Brooks or Candid Koepka as much as the next guy, but in the span of a few days he claimed he once made a hole-in-one at Augusta National and forgot about it later that day, said $200 million wouldn’t change his life, and insisted he played well two days in a row despite not coming close to making the cut at the Honda Classic. As the guy ventures further and further into too-cool-for-school territory, we’re starting to take some of his remarks with a huge grain of salt.

Being quarantined: Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli were initially pulled from the Oman Open and placed in solitary confinement by the European Tour out of fear they had the Coronavirus. Fortunately, they didn’t, but it didn’t sound like a fun experience:

For everyone asking, I am absolutely fine. No symptoms at all, no fever, no cold, nothing wrong at all…just very bored and annoyed. Hopefully this nightmare will be over soon!

— Edoardo Molinari (@DodoMolinari) February 27, 2020

Both players were eventually reinstated and Gagli even finished T-10. But yeah, that couldn’t have been a great feeling.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour continues its Florida Swing with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, AKA that place where Tiger Woods used to win every year, but now skips every year. It was more fun when he was winning every year.

Random tournament fact: Last year, Francesco Molinari became the first player in PGA Tour history to sink the winning putt with the flagstick in.

?? @F_Molinari's clutch birdie on the 72nd hole @APinv is even more exciting when called by @GOLFTV's Italian broadcasters. ? pic.twitter.com/uFE5INGzNq

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 10, 2019

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Zinger will say, “That European Tour” on this week’s broadcast: 1-MILLION-to-1 odds
—Francesco Molinari will win this week: 90-to-1 odds
—Francesco would rather miss another cut than be quarantined like his brother: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

This guy just keeps on going:

Stan Badz

That’s a remarkable 41st career PGA Tour Champions title for Bernhard Langer (hence, the pose), bringing him within four of Hale Irwin’s record. That also pushed the 62-year-old past $29 million in earnings on the senior circuit. He made $10 million on the PGA Tour. Remarkable.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (MUSICAL DIVISION)

Our man Sam Harrop is back with another fantastic song parody. This time, it’s a plea for Anthony Kim to come back:

Not quite sure how one is supposed to follow-up something like that Tony Finau video, but, well…here's where I ended up.

And, if all else fails, I'm pretty sure I speak on behalf of the entire golf community when I say, AK – we want you back.

RTs appreciated, as ever ? pic.twitter.com/Q7VS1PmHtk

— Sam Harrop (@sam_golf) February 27, 2020

This is beautiful—and important—work. Well done, Sam. And hope you’re listening, AK.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (FAIL DIVISION)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9K5NqxJM3v/?utm_source=ig_embed

LOL Luke McDonald?! The guy is a former World No. 1 for crying out loud! Where’s the respect?!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’m not even sure that he’s polarizing. I’m not sure there’s too many people on the other side, you know what I mean? I mean, ‘there is no God’ was the first thing I said after he’d won last week. There is no God, you know, that’s proof of it right there. Amazing. I mean, he is amazing. He’s Captain Oblivious, just can let everything run off his back. I’ve never seen anything like it.” —David Feherty on Patrick Reed. My word! Tell us what you really think, David!

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

Turns out, Mike Trout can smoke a golf ball even harder than he hits a baseball:

Mike Trout hitting rockets isn’t exclusive to the baseball field. pic.twitter.com/tuEyIzxqQ5

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) March 2, 2020

Decent athlete, that one.

THIS WEEK IN PGA TOUR PRO-WAGS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

FOLKS, we have a GRETZKY wedding alert!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Pk4xnHKlQ/?utm_source=ig_embed

Sorry, hope you didn’t get too excited. It was Ty getting hitched, not Paulina. But Paulina and DJ were there looking fancy. And The Great One was there making heartfelt toasts. And one of these days we’ll finally get the golf royal wedding we’ve been waiting for since 2013. Right? Maybe? Fingers crossed, because there’s going to be a lot of CONTENT when it does happen.

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Phil Mickelson might be even better playing Pebble Beach on a simulator than he is at playing Pebble Beach in real life:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9MwYADjY2g/?utm_source=ig_embed

Speaking of content, please attempt that in the real tournament next year. Please.

THIS AND THAT

Sami Valimaki, 21, won his first European Tour title just 18 months removed from finishing up his required military service for Finland. Guessing the food in player dining is just a bit better than at his previous gig. . . . Dustin Johnson said he will not play in the Tokyo Olympics later this year, even if he qualifies for the U.S. team. Is this a hint of a July wedding? . . . Tiger Woods has been officially announced as a finalist for the World Golf Hall of Fame 2021 class. Fingers crossed he has the votes to get in. . . . And finally, I’m in the midst of a dental emergency stemming from a root canal I underwent two years ago. I will spare you a photo, but suffice it to say, THE GRIND has extra meaning behind it this week.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who will deliver Tiger’s Hall-of-Fame introduction speech?
How many days a year did Maria Sharapova spend with sponsors?
How many days this year am I going to have to spend at the dentist?

The post A Transatlantic Twitter war, a heartfelt plea to Anthony Kim, and a Gretzky wedding (just not the one you’re thinking) appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers
The coronavirus is no laughing matter, something Edoardo Molinari found out the hard way last week prior to the European Tour’s Oman Open. Knowing a sibling is coming unglued over something out of their control, however, is always funny. So you’ll have to forgive Francesco Molinari getting in a laugh at his brother’s expense.

For those who missed it, Edoardo was one of two European Tour pros who were quarantined last Wednesday over fears they had contracted the virus. The other was Lorenzo Gagli, who had been exhibiting flu-like symptoms and examined by the tournament’s medical staff. Both players are from Italy, where the number of cases grow by the day, and they happened to be sharing a hotel room. Neither Molinari or Gagli were thrilled with the decision, but the precautionary measures taken by the European Tour were understandable.

Fortunately, Gagli’s tests came back negative, and the European Tour reinstated both players and sent them off in a twosome in the opening round. This was particularly beneficial for Gagli, who finished in a tie for 10th. Molinari tied for 50th.

Francesco understands the gravity of the situation in their home country, but he couldn’t help but chuckle when he thought about what his brother was going through. He explained why on Tuesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he is the defending champion.

“I was laughing, actually,” said the 2018 Open champion. “If you know my brother, of all people, for it to happen to him, I don’t know, yeah, I just found it a little bit funny at the beginning. But then, obviously, I spoke to him and he was, I would say, more annoyed than scared because he was feeling well. He had no symptoms. But, yeah, joking aside, obviously being Italian it’s not a great time back home with the health situation and I don’t know, hopefully they can get it sorted somehow quickly.”

That’s the brother-brother relationship summed up right there. Francesco expanded on the coronavirus matter later in the press conference.

“I know as much as you, if not less, to be honest. We just follow, obviously, the directions that we’re given by the tour. So far, luckily, it doesn’t seem to have an impact on us directly. But, yeah, like I said, the first person — I wasn’t in Italy last week — but I was obviously reading the news and they cancelled football games, soccer games, which are huge over there and closed school, so it’s definitely having an impact there. Hopefully it won’t get to that stage over here.”

So far it hasn’t, with six reported deaths in the United States versus 52 in Italy. As for precautions being taken by the Tour, the organization released a statement on the coronavirus Monday.

“The PGA TOUR has been closely monitoring all available information related to the continued spread of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19. We conduct more than 175 tournaments across our six Tours, and the health and safety of our players, employees, fans, partners, volunteers and everyone associated with the PGA TOUR continues to be our No. 1 priority.

“After reviewing the relevant positions from the Centers of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, there are no planned schedule changes beyond what has already been decided with PGA TOUR Series-China (a delay to the start of the season). However, we are establishing additional protocols to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans at our tournaments, and we will regularly review our schedule in light of revised CDC and WHO reports and make any updates as necessary.”

The post Francesco Molinari couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s unfortunate situation last week appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
Two European Tour players, Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari, have been quarantined, reportedly, over fears they have contracted the coronavirus, and forced to withdraw from this week’s Oman Open.

Gagli and Molinari were approached by a European Tour doctor at breakfast on Wednesday, Gagli told Italian newspaper La Nazione. Though the two were supposed to be roommates for the week, they were isolated in separate rooms. Gagli said he was given a test and told the result would be available in two days, but that he would have to remain in the room until next Wednesday, forcing him to miss the Qatar Masters as well.

“It’s an inexplicable decision,” Gagli said to La Nazoine. “Only us two have been excluded from the tournament, but I arrived in Muscat last Sunday and over the last few days I’ve worked out in the gym with dozens of other players. I ate with them and travelled by bus with them.

“If there was a risk of contagion, then they would have to isolate dozens of golfers and cancel the tournament.”

In a statement to the AP, the European Tour said Gagli and Molinari had withdrawn from the event on “medical grounds.”

Gagli, who did acknowledge he had been battling a cold, said the decision came from the Oman health ministry, and claims it is costing him and Molinari “serious economic damage.”

Both players hail from Italy, which is suffering an outbreak of the coronavirus with more than 440 cases confirmed, most of any non-Asian country. Gagli entered the week 407th in the Official World Golf Ranking, while Molinari (348th) is a former U.S. Amateur champ and Ryder Cupper, and brother to 2018 Open champ Francesco Molinari.

The post Reports: Two European Tour players quarantined over coronavirus concern, forced to withdraw from Oman Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

For those unaware, the “Chase The Ace” challenge is a recurring video series from the Euro Tour in which they give a tour pro 500 attempts to make a hole-in-one on a shortish par 3. Three players have tried the challenge so far, and only one, England’s Andy Sullivan, was able to make an ace (on his 230th try). The other two, Edoardo Molinari and Brandon Stone, failed to put one in the hole while slowly going insane in the process.

Pieters became the latest victim in what is easily the most depressing video of the four instalments. Seriously, this was hard to watch:

We gave @Thomas_Pieters 500 balls to see if he could make a hole-in-one.

Here’s what happened….#ChaseTheAce pic.twitter.com/OOSayu0vug

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 29, 2019

I realize how silly it sounds to say that I feel “sad” for a pro who can consistently hit the ball that close to the hole over and over, but man was that sad, mostly because he wanted to make one so badly. As the beginning of the video shows, Pieters has obviously made it a point to work on controlling his temper, which he apparently did a great job of during his victory at the Czech Masters this past August. But even the calmest of humans is bound to crack if you give him 500 tries to do something and he can’t do it.

Pieters might not have done what he went there to do, but nobody can say he wasn’t entertaining:

This was so good. “Everybody expects me to get mad. … not gonna happen.” A few moments later …

All right, not that bad. Emotions are mostly in check. This is easy!

Well said, Thomas. Well said.

(very next clip)

“Just stay calm. It’s just golf,” he said after the club throw, following that up with a “F&%$” after his next shot. Oh, yeah, that’s the good stuff.

Look, he’s trying his best to keep it together, which should be commended. For those of us who sometimes have temper tantrums on the course (guilty), it’s hard to just flip on a dime and become calm, cool, collected guy. Pieters might get there, but not without a few bumps along the way. Frankly, we hope he still lets a little rage out every now and then, because the club-snap videos are tremendous content.

The post Thomas Pieters becomes latest victim of Euro Tour’s ‘Chase The Ace’ challenge, somehow doesn’t snap club in half appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Stephen Hennessey
Through a packed leaderboard with some of the world’s best players, 35-year-old Francesco Molinari emerged to claim his first major title. It was an exciting Sunday, with names like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy in the mix, but it was the impressive, consistent play of Molinari that claimed the Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Though Molinari’s win might not be huge to American golf fans, it could be that you don’t know much about the Italian golf star. Here are a few other things you should know about this year’s Champion Golfer of the Year:

Francesco’s older brother, Edoardo, won the 2005 U.S. Amateur win at Merion, where Eduardo became the first European to win the prestigious title since 1911.

Edoardo Molinari of Italy poses with the Havemeyer Trophy and a Merion wicker basket after defeating Dillon Dougherty 4&3 during their championship match at the 2005 U.S. Amateur at Merion. (Scott Halleran)

To get into a playoff for a spot in the U.S. Amateur’s 64-man match play, Edoardo needed a birdie on his last hole, a par 3; from a bunker, he holed out. Then in the 36-hole championship match, he was 3 down after a rainy morning round. “My shirt was wet, so I asked in the pro shop if they had a magic shirt for a comeback,” Edoardo told Golf Digest’s Dave Kindred. Dry and armed with a shirt with a Merion logo on the front, Edoardo birdied seven of 15 holes—using 18 putts—to win, 4 and 3.

Francesco carried Edoardo’s bag for his 2006 Masters appearance, fulfilling a deal they had agreed to as kids: “Whoever plays in a major first,” Francesco told Golf Digest in 2010, “the other would caddie.”

Though he had already turned pro and had status on the European Tour, Francesco was good on his word. Who was Edoardo paired with during the first two rounds? None other than Tiger Woods, who Francesco played alongside with on Sunday at Carnoustie.

Though his older brother, Edoardo, was the more touted prospect—highlighted by his U.S. Am victory—Francesco was more focused on golf growing up and had quite a pedigree as well.

He won the Italian Amateur two times and took home his first European Tour title, his native Italian Open when he was just 23 years old. Francesco took home the Italian Open again in 2016, becoming the event’s only two-time winner from Italy since it became a European Tour-sanctioned event.

Francesco Molinari celebrates winning The 2006 Telecom Italian Open Golf in Milan. (Stuart Franklin)

The Molinari brothers grew up playing at Circolo Golf Torino, learning the game from their grandparents and father, Paolo, who is a dentist.

Edoardo’s nickname, Dodo, comes from Francesco not being able to pronounce his oldest brother’s full name when they were little.

Francesco Molinari (right) and Edoardo Molinari pose for a photo in 2010. (Ross Kinnaird)

Only 23 months separate the two brothers. When they both represented the European side in 2010 at Celtic Manor, the Molinaris became the first pair of brothers to play on the same Ryder Cup team in 47 years.

Edoardo (left) and Francesco Molinari celebrate the one-point European Ryder Cup win in 2010 at Celtic Manor. (ADRIAN DENNIS)

From Turin, Italy, the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics, Francesco carried the Olympic torch as it made its way to the host site. Molinari is also a big-time skier.

Despite hailing from Turin, Francesco follows Inter Milan. His brother supports Juventus. Francesco’s London team is West Ham.

Thanks a lot to @whufc_official and Neil McDonald for the great present! Hope it'll bring me some luck this week! pic.twitter.com/YAkWf65h5B

— Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) June 26, 2013

Francesco’s win at Carnoustie is the first major title for any Italian golfer, male or female.

Harry How

Constantino Rocca’s near victory at the 1995 Open at St. Andrews, losing in a playoff to John Daly, had been the country’s best chance. (Molinari also finished T-2 at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.)

Francesco has played in two Ryder Cups, a part of two European side victories, including the 2012 Miracle at Medinah, where he defeated Tiger Woods in their singles match.

Mike Ehrmann

Molinari is now a lock for the 2018 matches at Le Golf National in France, and he figures to be a stalwart for the European side.

This has been a year to remember for Francesco. Molinari has nabbed the two biggest events played in Europe, taking home the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May to go with his Open Championship title.

Francesco Molinari holds the trophy after winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on May 27, 2018. (Richard Heathcote)

Francesco also won the Quicken Loans National less than a month ago, by eight shots—being handed the trophy by Tiger Woods, the event host.

Francesco Molinari is handed the Quicken Loans National trophy from event host Tiger Woods at TPC Potomac on July 1, 2018. (Sam Greenwood)

It was not only Molinari’s first PGA Tour victory but the first by an Italian golfer. (Molinari won the 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions, where he edged Lee Westwood by one when it was considered a European Tour event.)

Just eight months ago, fellow tour pro Wes Bryan said that Molinari discussed with him his plans to retire in about two-and-a-half years, in which he’d be content sitting at a coffee shop, watching sports on TV, maybe reading books and “becoming a troll on Twitter.”

https://twitter.com/wesleybryangolf/status/1021086972360777733

Molinari is now ranked sixth in the world, trailing only Justin Rose and Jon Rahm among Europeans. (Rory McIlroy is now seventh.) Molinari also leads the European side in the Ryder Cup points rankings.

Working with putting guru Phil Kenyon has helped transform his putting, once a weakness for Molinari.

Molinari ranked fourth in putting for the week at Carnoustie. Kenyon also coaches with Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and has worked with Rory McIlroy in the past. Molinari also credits recent work with British performance coach Dave Alfred, who has also worked with Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington, for his successful 2018: “He’s probably a personality and a figure that I was missing. He’s really helped me a lot.”

Planning the ugly zone – the ultimate preparation for an open championship @nikegolf @TaylorMadeTour @The_Wisley @dave_alred pic.twitter.com/wJg5Nnoh6Z

— Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) July 13, 2017

Molinari has had a long partnership with swing coach Denis Pugh, a prominent European instructor who works with Ross Fisher and spent a number of years with Colin Montgomerie.

Pugh on Molinari: “In terms of intensity, he is the hardest worker I have ever seen. He doesn’t necessarily work long hours. But when he is working it is always 100 per cent effort and concentration.”

Molinari has two kids, Tommaso and Emma, with his wife, Valentina, whom he married in 2007.

Jan Kruger/R&A

The post Francesco Molinari: 15 things you need to know about the 2018 Open champion appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The task appeared simple and enjoyable: Take 500 attempts at trying to make a hole-in-one on a beautiful day. And wouldn’t you know it, Molinari came inches away from making an ace on his first attempt. But by the end, the three-time European Tour winner and the 2005 U.S. Amateur champ had resorted to throwing clubs, talking to himself, and even praying.

You can’t blame him when you watch how excruciatingly close he came (You also can’t help but feel bad for that tee box, which got absolutely torn to shreds). Attempt No. 74 skirted the edge of the hole. Attempt No. 361 came up just short. And then there’s what happened on attempt No. 153 when Molinari nearly jarred his shot on the fly, only to see it pop out of the cup. Edoardo was NOT thrilled with that.

Anyway, here’s Edoardo’s entire day boiled down to six minutes in the European Tour’s latest fun film, Chase The Ace. Enjoy:

How many shots would it take a pro to make a hole-in-one?

We gave @DodoMolinari 500 balls, here’s what happened… pic.twitter.com/AcTwKiplYp

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 10, 2017

Hang in there, Edoardo. On the bright side, you should be extra dialled in with your 9-iron this week.

The post Watch a European Tour pro slowly go insane while taking 500 cracks at making a hole-in-one appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.