Francesco Molinari
Encyclopedia
Francesco Molinari is an Italian
professional golf
er. He is a two-time winner on the European Tour and was a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup
team.
, Italy
, and is the younger brother of Edoardo
. As an amateur, he won the Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice, and the Italian Match Play Championship in 2004. He turned professional
later that year.
qualifying school
, Molinari earned full playing status for the 2005 season, in which he ultimately finished in eighty-sixth place in the tour's Order of Merit standings.
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
. He finished 24th on the Order of Merit in 2008, and improved this placement in the augural Race to Dubai where he has ranked 14th.
In October 2009, Molinari reached the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings
for the first time.
On 29 November 2009, Molinari, along with his older brother Edoardo, led Italy to their first World Cup win at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China.
In August 2010, he qualified to represent Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup
which place at Celtic Manor.
On 7 November 2010, Molinari won the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. He defeated Lee Westwood
by one stroke, finishing at 19-under par. He ended the season ranked 5th on the European Tour Order of Merit.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. He is a two-time winner on the European Tour and was a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
team.
Background and amateur career
Molinari was born in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and is the younger brother of Edoardo
Edoardo Molinari
Edoardo Molinari is an Italian professional golfer. He is a two-time winner on the European Tour, 2005 U.S. Amateur champion, 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings leader, winner, with his brother Francesco, of the 2009 World Cup and a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team...
. As an amateur, he won the Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice, and the Italian Match Play Championship in 2004. He turned professional
Professional golf
For information about professional golf see:*Professional golfer, which describes the various branches of the profession.*Professional golf tours, which covers elite professional competitive golf and links to more detailed articles about each tour....
later that year.
Professional career
At the 2004 European TourPGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
qualifying school
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
, Molinari earned full playing status for the 2005 season, in which he ultimately finished in eighty-sixth place in the tour's Order of Merit standings.
In May 2006, Molinari claimed his first European Tour victory, becoming the first Italian since Massimo Mannelli
Massimo Mannelli
Massimo Mannelli is an Italian professional golfer.He played regularly on the European Tour from the late 1970s to the early 1990s and finished a career high 40th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1980, the year in which he won his home national open, the Italian Open. That was to be his only...
in 1980 to win the Telecom Italia Open
Italian Open (golf)
The BMW Italian Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is the Italian national open golf championship for men. It was founded in 1925 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's first season in 1972....
. He finished 24th on the Order of Merit in 2008, and improved this placement in the augural Race to Dubai where he has ranked 14th.
In October 2009, Molinari reached the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
for the first time.
On 29 November 2009, Molinari, along with his older brother Edoardo, led Italy to their first World Cup win at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China.
In August 2010, he qualified to represent Europe in the 2010 Ryder Cup
2010 Ryder Cup
The 38th Ryder Cup matches were held 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in the city of Newport, Wales. It was the first time the competition was staged in Wales. With the USA as the defending Cup holder the event was played on the newly-constructed Twenty 10 course, specifically designed for the...
which place at Celtic Manor.
On 7 November 2010, Molinari won the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. He defeated Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood
Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons...
by one stroke, finishing at 19-under par. He ended the season ranked 5th on the European Tour Order of Merit.
Amateur wins (5)
- 2002 Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Italian Amateur Foursomes Championship (with Edoardo MolinariEdoardo MolinariEdoardo Molinari is an Italian professional golfer. He is a two-time winner on the European Tour, 2005 U.S. Amateur champion, 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings leader, winner, with his brother Francesco, of the 2009 World Cup and a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team...
) - 2004 Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Italian Match Play Championship, Sherry Cup (ESP)
European Tour wins (2)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s) up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 May 2006 2006 European Tour The 2006 European Tour was the 35th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2006 season consisted of 47 official money events, equalling the record set the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the... |
Telecom Italia Open | 4 strokes |  Anders HansenAnders Hansen Anders Rosenberg Hansen is a Danish professional golfer.Hansen was born in Sønderborg, Denmark. He turned professional in 1995... ,  Jarmo SandelinJarmo Sandelin Jarmo Sakari Sandelin is a Swedish professional golfer.Sandelin was born in Imatra, Finland but grew up in Sweden, and is now a Swedish citizen... |
|
| 2 | 7 Nov 2010 2010 European Tour The 2010 European Tour is the second edition of the Race to Dubai and the 39th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972.... |
WGC-HSBC Champions | 1 stroke |  Lee WestwoodLee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
Other wins (2)
- 2009 Italian PGA Championship, Omega Mission Hills World Cup (with Edoardo MolinariEdoardo MolinariEdoardo Molinari is an Italian professional golfer. He is a two-time winner on the European Tour, 2005 U.S. Amateur champion, 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings leader, winner, with his brother Francesco, of the 2009 World Cup and a member of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team...
)
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | T30 | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | T27 | CUT | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | DNP | T13 | CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | T10 | T33 | T34 |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions The 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions was a golf tournament contested from November 4–7, 2010 at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. It was the second WGC-HSBC Champions tournament, and the fourth of four World Golf Championships events held in 2010... |
WGC-HSBC Champions | 1 shot lead | 1 stroke | Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | R64 | R64 |
| Cadillac Championship | DNP | T14 | T3 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship The 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship was a golf tournament that was contested from March 10–13 at Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida. It was the 12th WGC-Cadillac Championship tournament, and the second of four World Golf Championships events staged in 2011. Cadillac replaced CA... |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | T39 | T15 |
| HSBC Champions | T10 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions The 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions was a golf tournament that was contested from November 5–8, 2009 at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. It was the first WGC-HSBC Champions tournament, and the fourth of four World Golf Championships events held in 2009.... |
1 | T23 |
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(representing Italy): 2002, 2004 - St Andrews TrophySt Andrews TrophyThe St Andrews Trophy is a biennial men's team golf tournament contested between teams of amateur golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It takes its name from St Andrews in Scotland, which is colloquially known as the "Home of Golf". The competition was founded in...
(representing Continental Europe): 2004 - Bonallack Cup: 2004
- Palmer CupPalmer CupThe Palmer Cup is an annual eight man team golf competition between American college golfers and European college/university golfers. It is named after Arnold Palmer. The teams are selected on the basis of nationality, not according to the location of the players' universities...
(representing Europe): 2004 (winners)
Professional
- World Cup (representing Italy): 2006, 20072007 OMEGA Mission Hills World CupThe 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 22 to November 25 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 53rd World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse is $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The individual purse...
, 20082008 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 27 to November 30 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 54th World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse was $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The Swedish team of...
, 20092009 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 26 to November 29 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 55th World Cup. 28 countries competed as two player teams...
(winners), 2011 - Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
(representing Continental Europe): 20092009 Vivendi Trophy with Seve BallesterosThe 2009 Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, formally known as the Seve Trophy, was played 24-27 September at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche in France. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Paul McGinley, with the captain for Continental Europe being Thomas Bjørn...
, 20112011 Vivendi Seve TrophyThe 2011 Vivendi Seve Trophy, formerly known as the Seve Trophy, was played 15-18 September at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche in France. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Paul McGinley, with the captain for Continental Europe being Jean van de Velde... - Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
(representing Europe): 20102010 Ryder CupThe 38th Ryder Cup matches were held 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in the city of Newport, Wales. It was the first time the competition was staged in Wales. With the USA as the defending Cup holder the event was played on the newly-constructed Twenty 10 course, specifically designed for the...
(winners)