Francesco Molinari Bio
Francesco Molinari (born 8 November 1982) is an Italian professional golfer. He won the 2018 Open Championship, his first and only major victory, and the first major won by an Italian professional golfer. His Open Championship win capped a successful season in which he won the 2018 BMW PGA Championship and the Quicken Loans National, making it a memorable year as he represented Europe in the Ryder Cup and achieved notable victories on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. In 2019, Molinari won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for his third PGA Tour victory of his career. Playing with his brother Edoardo, they won the 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, Italy’s only win in the event. Molinari won the 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions and has represented Europe in three winning Ryder Cup teams, in 2010, 2012, and 2018. Molinari was in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking continuously from November 2008 to November 2020.
Early Life and Background
Francesco Molinari was born on 8 November 1982 in Turin, Italy. He is the younger brother of Edoardo Molinari. As an amateur, he won the Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice and the Italian Match Play Championship in 2004. Molinari turned professional later that year. He graduated from the University of Turin with a degree in economics.
Path to Golf
Molinari earned his European Tour card for 2005 through qualifying school. He finished in 86th place on the tour’s Order of Merit in his rookie season. In May 2006, Molinari claimed his first European Tour victory, becoming the first Italian since Massimo Mannelli in 1980 to win the Telecom Italia Open. This victory helped him finish 38th on the Order of Merit. He did not win on Tour between 2007 and 2009, but during that time he recorded twenty top-10 finishes, including three runner-up finishes. He finished 60th on the Order of Merit in 2007, 24th in 2008, and 14th in the Race to Dubai in 2009. In October 2009, Molinari reached the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.
Francesco Molinari Career
Early Career (2004-2010)
On 29 November 2009, Molinari, along with his older brother Edoardo, led Italy to their first World Cup victory at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China. On 7 November 2010, Molinari won the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China. He defeated Lee Westwood by one stroke, finishing at 19-under par. The win moved him into 14th in the Official World Golf Ranking, his highest ranking for eight years. He recorded eleven top-10 finishes, including two runner-up finishes, en route to a 5th-place finish in the Race to Dubai. In October 2010, Molinari represented Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup, teaming up with his brother Edoardo in the four-balls and foursomes. He then lost the singles match by 4 and 3 against Tiger Woods on the final day. Europe defeated the United States, 14.5–13.5.
Breakthrough (2018)
Molinari picked up his third win on the European Tour on 6 May 2012 at the Reale Seguros Open de España. He was four strokes out of the lead going into the final round but fired a 65 (−7), the best round of the tournament, to win by three strokes over Alejandro Cañizares, Søren Kjeldsen, and Pablo Larrazábal. In July 2012, the week before the Open Championship, Molinari lost in a playoff at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. He was defeated on the first playoff hole by Jeev Milkha Singh. Molinari gained an automatic selection for the 2012 Ryder Cup, where he played the foursomes with Lee Westwood on Friday, losing by 3 and 2 to Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson. He then teamed up in the four-balls with Justin Rose, losing by 5 and 4 against Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson. On the final day, he halved with Tiger Woods in the last singles match. The point meant Europe not only completed a comeback from 10–6 down at the start of the final day to retain the cup but won it outright by a score of 14.5 points to 13.5. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Molinari did not register a tournament win, but his steady position in the top fifty of the Official World Golf Ranking allowed him to play several PGA Tour events as a non-member, where he reached three top ten finishes.
Notable Works and Milestones
In 2018, Molinari recorded his fifth European Tour win and first Rolex Series title in May, with victory in the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship. He produced a flawless final round to see off Rory McIlroy by two strokes. The win took Molinari level with Costantino Rocca for most European Tour wins by an Italian. In the same year, Molinari won the Quicken Loans National in a dominating fashion by shooting a 62 on Sunday to win by eight strokes, the first PGA Tour win for an Italian since 1947. At the 2018 Open Championship, Molinari won the tournament with a score of −8, pairing with Tiger Woods in the final round. The win at the Open Championship moved him to sixth place in the Official World Golf Ranking, the highest ranking of his career to date. In September 2018, Molinari qualified for the European team participating in the 2018 Ryder Cup. Europe defeated the U.S. team 17.5 to 10.5. Molinari became the first player ever to go 5–0–0, winning all four fourball and foursome matches and his singles match against Phil Mickelson. On 18 November 2018, Molinari won the season-long Race to Dubai title on the European Tour.
Francesco Molinari Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Francesco Molinari has received numerous nominations, particularly in 2018, when he was recognized for his outstanding performances on the European Tour and PGA Tour.
Francesco Molinari Awards Won
Francesco Molinari has won several prestigious awards, including the European Tour Race to Dubai winner, European Tour Golfer of the Year, European Tour Players’ Player of the Year, and BBC World Sport Star of the Year, all in 2018. These accolades highlight his remarkable achievements and contributions to the sport of golf.
