Brotherly love at the World Cup of Golf

November 29, 7:07 AMGolf ExaminerDave Seanor

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Golf Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Italian stallions: Francesco and Edoardo Molinari

Shenzhen, China – Among the 28 teams here at the World Cup, none is tighter than the twosome from Italy. That’s because Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari are brothers, born 22 months apart.

Asked to rate their relationship on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being inseparable, Edoardo responded without hesitation: “Nine and a half.” Francesco nodded in agreement.

That’s a far cry from Team Spain, the 54-hole co-leader with Australia at 22 under par. When Pablo Larrazabal, 25, was queried about his compatibility with teammate Miguel Angel Jimenez, the European Tour’s resident hedonist, Larrazabal replied: “He’s just like me, only 90 years older.”

The experience of Jimenez, a connoisseur of fine wine and fine cigars who in reality is 43, likely will come in handy in closing foursomes (alternate shot) if Spain expects to fend off Richard Green and Brendan Jones of Australia, who combined for a 9-under-par 63 in Round 3 four-balls (better ball) over the Olazabal Course at the Mission Hills Resort complex. Lurking four shots behind the co-leaders is the Swedish power tandem of Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson. The United States, represented by Ben Curtis and Brandt Snedeker, is tied for sixth at 14 under.

The Molinari brothers shot 64, advancing Italy into a tie for 14^th, at 9 under par, with South Africa, Finland and Portugal.

If Edoardo Molinari’s name sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because he won the 2005 U.S. Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club in suburban Philadelphia. Molinari went into the final as the underdog against a less accomplished American, Dillon Dougherty. Before the 36-hole final, Edoardo got a text message from his brother.

“It said not to forget the year before, when Nick Flanagan came from behind to win,” said Molinari, referring to the Australian’s victory over America’s top-ranked amateur, Casey Wittenberg, at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. “I still have that message on my phone.”

Edoardo was the first European to win the U.S. Amateur since 1911. He was rewarded with a berth in the Masters the following spring. He brought Francesco along as his caddie.

“It was good to have him there to help me learn the course,” said Edoardo, who was paired the first two rounds with Tiger Woods.

The Molinari brothers have teamed in at least a dozen international matches, including the 2007 World Cup (they tied for 17^th) and the European Championships and St. Andrews Trophy as amateurs.  They have no victories, but “we beat some pretty good GBI (Great Britain and Ireland) pairings,” Francesco said.

The brothers went to European Tour Q-School in 2004. Francesco earned his card, Edoardo didn’t . Francesco quite college to pursue his golf career; Edoardo earned an engineering degree the year after winning the Amateur.

Their career paths converged this year, thanks to Edoardo’s top 25 finish on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit and its accompanying European Tour membership.  Francesco was exempt through ’08 after winning the 2006 Italian Open.

“It’s a positive rivalry,” says Edoardo. “We push each other to do better.”

Francesco has the reputation as a superb ball-striker who frequently is let down by his putter. After missing consecutive cuts last spring at the Italian Open, Irish Open and BMW  PGA Championship, Francesco had had enough. He switched to a belly putter, and since then he’s posted nine top 20s in 17 starts, including runner-up finishes in the Mercedes Benz Championship and the Hong Kong Open.

It’s probably not a coincidence that Francesco made another significant change last spring. He got married. Edoardo was best man, and the reception was held at Circolo Golf Torino, the club where the Molinaris learned to play as youngsters.

Edoardo remedied an issue of his own, but in less conventional fashion. Tendonitis in his left wrist was affecting Edoardo’s ability to play and practice last season. He made 26 starts on the European Tour but missed the cut 14 times, including a stretch of seven in a row. He consulted a chiropractor who traced the pain to a misaligned bite. The doctor  recommended a plastic appliance that fits over Molinari’s lower teeth, preventing him from clenching his jaw, which in turn induces the tendonitis. Since he began wearing the device during workouts and competition, Edoardo has been pain free.