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Francesco Molinari splits with his caddie, will employ Mark Fulcher next year

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 18:48:28 +0000

ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 11: Francesco Molinari of Italy consults with his caddie Pello Iguaran during the second round of the Italian Open at Olgiata Golf Club on October 11, 2019, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

By Brian Wacker
Former Open champion Francesco Molinari has parted ways with caddie Pello Iguaran and will begin next year with a familiar face on the bag, veteran looper Mark Fulcher.

Molinari and Iguaran were together the last four years, during which time the 36-year-old Italian enjoyed a breakout season in 2018 with three worldwide wins, including the Open Championship at Carnoustie and the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship. He followed that with a 5-0 record at the Ryder Cup to help lead the Europeans to a blowout victory in Paris.

This year, Molinari won at Bay Hill and was in the lead on the back nine of the Masters before finding the water on the 12th and again on the 15th and eventually fading to a tie for fifth.

Since then, Molinari has failed to register a top 10. Last week, he missed the cut at the Italian Open.

“It’s been nearly four seasons of incredible emotions and really productive work, but unfortunately relationships sometimes come to an end, even if it’s not what we wish for,” Molinari said in a Tweet. “Pello will always be a member of my team and more importantly my family. He’s one of the most hardworking, loyal, positive, reflective people I’ve come across during my career.

“We’ve had both good and tough times on the course, but most importantly we both grew together and as individuals during our time together.”

Molinari, who will turn 37 next month, said that Jason Hempleman will be on the bag through the end of 2019 but that Fulcher, who spent 11 years caddying for former world No. 1 and 2013 U.S. Open champ Justin Rose, will take over beginning next year.

Fulcher was sidelined earlier this year because of heart surgery but returned to Rose’s bag at the Masters. The two then parted ways in June, with Fulcher saying he was going to focus on his health and well-being. Rose has since added Gareth Lord, who had previously worked for Henrik Stenson.

Molinari will next play in two weeks at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

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Justin Rose’s caddie forced to take indefinite leave of absence, ending 11-year partnership

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 29 May 2019 06:22:16 +0000

Warren Little/Getty Image

By Joel Beall
On Tuesday Justin Rose announced his partnership with longtime caddie Mark Fulcher has come to an end, as Fulcher is taking an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his health.

“After an amazing 11 years with Fooch, our successful run together has finished for now,” Rose said in a statement.

In January Fulcher underwent heart surgery, missing the first four months of 2019. He returned to Rose at this year’s Masters, and was also the Englishman’s loop at the recent PGA Championship, where Rose finished T-29.

According to Rose, Fulcher’s heart procedure requires more rest.

“He has been medically advised that a further period of recuperation is required,” Rose said. “I wish him all the best as he works on getting 100 percent fit and healthy. I also have no doubts that we will stride up a 72nd hole late on a Sunday afternoon together in the future.”

Fulcher was on the bag for Rose’s 2013 U.S. Open win, his 2016 Olympic Gold Medal, last year’s FedEx Cup title and rise to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

At this week’s Memorial, Gareth Lord, who formerly caddied for Henrik Stenson, will be Rose’s caddie. Lord had filled in for Fulcher earlier this campaign.

Rose, who won his first PGA Tour event at the 2010 Memorial, will playing with Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau during the first two rounds at Muirfield Village.

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U.S. Open 2018: Justin Rose preps for Shinnecock knowing majors are now going to define his career

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 06:47:52 +0000

SOUTHAMPTON, NY – JUNE 13: Justin Rose of England walks up the 15th hole during a practice round prior to the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 13, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

By Christopher Powers
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Justin Rose’s introduction to the golf world was memorably loud one. As a baby-faced 17-year-old amateur from England, he shot a final-round 69 in the 1998 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, highlighted by his hole-out for birdie from the thick rough at the 72nd hole that produced an epic roar from the home crowd.

The shot propelled Rose to a T-4 finish in his major-championship debut, earning him low-amateur honors and marking the best result by a British amateur in the Open since 1921. It was a foregone conclusion that many wins, including major victories, were in the rising star’s future.

That wasn’t the case, at least immediately, for the Englishman. His early career struggles on the European Tour are well-documented, and his first PGA Tour victory did not come until 2010 at the Memorial Tournament, a month before he turned 30. Fellow European and former phenom Rory McIlroy, who just turned 29 last month, has already collected 14 PGA Tour wins, including four majors. It’s fair to wonder if Rose missed out on a big window of his prime that so many young stars are capitalising on right now.

That’s not how Rose sees it, as he continues to prove the “better late than never” mantra true, similar to Phil Mickelson, who won his first major at age 33. Ironically, Rose bettered Lefty by two strokes to capture his first major title, winning the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion a month before his 33rd birthday.

Five years later, Rose appears to be in peak form as he closes in on 40. He’s one of the betting favorites following his stellar play at the Fort Worth Invitational, where notched his second victory of his 2017-’18 season. Could these actually be his prime years?

“Well, hopefully, I’m in the sweet spot,” said Rose when asked to evaluate this stage of his career. “I feel like I’d like to have that little bit of an old-school approach where guys tend to mature into their 30s. We have seen that shift in the last 10 years or so, and that could be the Tiger factor now kicking in. He’s been out here 20-plus years. So we’ve seen the kids that were very impressionable watching him go through his best spells, that we’re seeing the by-product of that now.”

Rose has had no problem competing with those kids despite having plenty of years on them, having won seven of his nine PGA Tour events in his 30s. No matter how many baby-faced kids like Rose once was appear on leader boards, he knows experience still plays, especially at a place like Shinnecock, where Rose competed in his second U.S. Open in 2004, missing the cut.

“It has shifted younger,” Rose said, “but I feel like experience and all of those great attributes that have historically held players in good stead and allowed them to win majors into their 30s, that still is incredibly valuable. That’s never going to go away.

“I think players like myself and Adam Scott and Sergio, the ‘80s babies, we’re all pretty much a similar age. We’re that generation that’s somewhat in the middle. I think we’re still fit, healthy, still hit the ball a long way, still have all the attributes the young players have, and just with added experience. These types of championships are hopefully some of our best shots, to be honest with you.”

He’s not the only one who thinks he’s got a good chance this week, as his odds to win have now dropped to 12/1. While he denied any knowledge of that, he knows it’s on his caddy’s mind.

“Well, it’s news to me so I’m clearly not really paying—I know Futch [Rose’s caddie Mark Fulcher] will be looking at the odds.

“I think probably it’s about right. I’ve been playing well. I’ve been playing solid golf. I’ve been on the leader board a lot. I’m comfortable with it. I’m No. 3 in the world, past champion here. It makes sense to me.

“Does that mean it’s easy to win? No. But the golf course doesn’t know I’m second favorite, and that’s kind of how I try to approach these things. I’ve got to go and build a body of work. I don’t start this tournament ahead of anybody or behind anybody.

“So I think that’s the way I look at it, just trust my game, my skill set, and hopefully it produces.”

Should it produce a second major title for Rose this week, it will make him the latest major champion to redefine what a golfer’s “prime” years really are.

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