Molinari not flashy except the players that he beats

The Italian Francesco Molinari holds the trophy after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018. (Photo AP / Martin Cleaver)

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – It does not matter. There's nothing scary about Francesco Molinari

He was a forgotten figure when he played in the last round of the British Open, mainly because he was playing with Tiger Woods, and because of the power of the stars around him. Jordan Spieth was tied on the head. Rory McIlroy was one shot behind Molinari

"If someone was waiting at a charge, they probably were not expecting me," he said. "But it's the same thing throughout my career."

His name engraved in the silver claret jug should help with that.

Now, it's flashy.

And it was not an accident. The 35-year-old Italian was the best golf player of the two months leading up to the British Open with two wins and two finals. All he did at the BMW PGA Championship was to compete against McIlroy in the last lap and beat him by two. A month later, he won the Quicken Loans National with a score of 62, Woods being the host of the tournament – he finished fourth that day – and handed him the trophy.

Carnoustie tempered some of this confidence.

Renowned to be the toughest link in golf, especially in the 20-mph bursts that finally arrived on Sunday, Molinari stopped playing at the Dunhill Links Championship because only one stop on the rotation of three courses ate. here a few times in the past, "said Molinari," I did not particularly appreciate that feeling. "

And yet, he was in the last lap, with major champions ahead of him and behind him and the biggest of them – Woods next to him in a final round so wild that seven players have had a lead over and over, and six players were tied on the last nine.

McIlroy and Ex-US Open champion Justin Rose was indicted Woods and Spieth were among the five contenders to double bogeys.

In the midst of such a large theater, Molinari made his biggest gesture going nowhere.He opened with 13 pairs, including the 12th and 13th holes while Woods lost the lead with a double bogey and a bogey.

Molinari took the lead for the first time with a birdie with two shots on the 14th hole, he did one more birdie on the last hole by hitting the wheel that narrowly avoided a bunker, leaving him a lob corner at 5 feet for a birdie that ensured its place in history as Italy's first great champion. finally, I will never forget, "he said.

Molinari concluded with a 69, significant for two reasons: he was the only player of the last two groups to have made the parry, and he has not made bogeys in the last 37 holes.

"He played incredible golf. He works his buttocks, "said Spieth," I see him all the time in the gym, doing his routine, cringe, doing his own stuff. "It's really hard work who paid for Francesco.I'm certainly happy for him.I've watched him on the PGA Tour this year day after day, seeing him working as hard as anyone else. " 19659014] Solid on the tee, sometimes suspect on the putting green, Molinari showed his potential in a World Golf Championship in Shanghai in 2010, when Lee Westwood made his world-first debut. Westwood beat everyone by nine shots in the HSBC champions and lost by one to Molinari.

This was the second victory of his career for Molinari, and remained his biggest win against a strong field until his arrival at Carnoustie. Molinari, whose older brother Edoardo won the 2005 US Amateur and played with him at the 2010 Ryder Cup, comes from a country better known for football and skiing than for golf. They had their chance to glory two decades ago. Molinari was 12 years old and was watching TV when Costantino Rocca was driving in this putt through the Valley of Sin on the 18th at St. Andrews to force an overtime with John Daly at the 1995 British Open.

Daly won the four-hole playoffs. Rocca was paired in the final round with Woods two years later at the 1997 Masters, but it was not really a contest.

Now, Italy has the golfer champion of the year.

"The last round was already big news in Italy," said Molinari. "Obviously, to achieve something like that, it's on another level. Fortunately, there were many young children watching on television today, as if I were watching Costantino coming in so close. Fortunately, they will be as inspired as I was at the time, watching him compete for the Claret jug. "

The victory was the seventh of his career, and he moved it to No. 6 in the world, just opposite McIlroy and Spieth

He is in good company.

" He has always been a great player, "said McIlroy." With the way he played this year, there may be a little more conviction. I played with him on the last day at Wentworth and he did not miss a shot. There will be a lot of European players vying for its partnership in foursomes at the Ryder Cup. "

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