28 September 2010
An Interview With:
FRANCESCO MOLINARI
GORDON SIMPSON: We are very
pleased to welcome our first Italian Ryder Cup
player since Constantino Rocca, and, in fact, we
have two coming up, just after the other, we have
Edoardo coming up after Francesco. This is your
first experience. You joined the team last night at
Celtic Manor and you had practise today. What is
your initial impression of Ryder Cup golf?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, it's a
great feeling. You know, it's a lot of fun to be here
and to be part of this team with some of the most
amazing golfers in the world.
So I'm really proud to be here and you
know playing today was great. We had a little nice
match with Rory, and the tournament is still quite
far away. It's a lot of fun and I guess we should
just try to have fun all the rest of the week.
GORDON SIMPSON: G-Mac said it was a
little bit of World Cup/Mission Hills needle in that
match.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: They won this
one, but we won the most important one. They
won 2-up.
It was still the first day out so a couple of
things to get used to, but the four of us played
quite well and we are really excited about it and we
will do our best to win the Cup back.
Q. Watched a lot of your round today
and not many putts seemed to drop in. Did you
struggle with the greens?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, not really.
I mean, it was the first round we played here, so
we need to get used to the pace and everything.
But they are rolling fine and Edoardo and G-Mac
holed most of the putts today. I think it's just a
matter of getting used to the greens, and also me
and Rory are going to hole some.
Q. Constantino Rocca is said to have
wept with joy when you made The Ryder Cup
Team; what does this mean for Italian golf back
in Italy?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: It's great for
Italian golf and Italian sports in general. To have
two guys here is something that only a few years
ago was almost unthinkable.
So it's great to be here, and I guess
everyone who has been involved with us, with our
career, is really proud that we are here, and
obviously it's quite a big news, two brothers in The
Ryder Cup. So it's going to be good for golf in Italy
to get more popular.
Q.
And they are aware of your
achievement back in Italy?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, yeah,
they are, all of the main newspapers are talking
about and it, and TV, as well. Italian television is
going to cover the tournament, so I think it's going
to be quite big for golf.
Q. A lot has been made of you and
your brother getting to play together. Now that
you're actually here, is it what you expected?
What's it like to actually be here with him for a
Ryder Cup?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: For us, maybe
it's weird to say, but it feels quite normal to be here
together. We had a steady improvement during
our careers, and you know, we got here
step-by-step and it feels obviously great, but it's
nothing, I mean, you know, I almost expected my
brother to be here, and I guess it was the same for
him.
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Q. How much do you all talk out on the
course? How much do y'all help each other?
Do you play your own games or -FRANCESCO MOLINARI: We help each
other a little bit. Just we know this golf course,
obviously, quite well, but we were trying to spot
any difference from what it was back in June when
we played here. If one doesn't see one thing, the
other one is obviously telling him and trying to help.
But then we are two different players and we play
in slightly different ways, as well. So I think that's
about it.
Q. And can I ask one other thing, how
much do y'all hang out together?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, when we
are not on tour, I live in London and Edoardo lives
in Italy, so we don't spend a lot of time together.
But when we are out on tour, yeah, we hang out
together during the night and have drinks together.
So it feels like we are back home a little bit.
Q. Everyone sort of has taken it almost
as read that you will play with your brother. Do
you actually see it that way, or is there scope
for you to play with other teammates?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI:
I mean,
watching the players in the team, I'll be happy to
play with anyone in the team to be honest with
you. Obviously I think if we are playing both
decently, we will play maybe some matches
together but you know, it depends on Colin and it
depends on how everybody is playing, who is
playing well, who is not playing well. So, we'll see
during the week.
I don't expect to play every single match
with Edoardo.
Q. A couple of questions, what do you
think of your brother's comments that you will
win every match?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: That he was
mad?
(Laughter).
I guess he was trying
desperately to make the team and he did great in
doing that. We play really well together and we are
a strong pairing, but, you know, we are not going
to play against some -- we are definitely going to
play against some of the best of the world players.
So it's not going to be easy, but we'll do
our best. Four points, it's a lot, but we will try our
best if we play all the matches.
FRANCESCO
(Laughter).
MOLINARI:
Yeah.
Q. Why do you live in London and what
do you like to live in London?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I moved to
London last year because of the travelling mainly,
and because our coach lives there and I get to
spent more time with him, Denis Pugh. And I just
like the city and going out and finding new
restaurants and going to plays and to the cinema.
I just love the city life. I live in town in Kensington,
so it's about 40 minutes away from Wisley.
Q. What plays have you seen recently?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, last time
we went last winter because we don't have much
time and we went to see some Keira Knightley play
or we just watch whatever we can.
Q. Does anybody recognize you who
you are out in London?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, not really.
Maybe if I spend some time in the airport maybe,
but usually not in town.
Q. When Edoardo was playing those
last three holes at Gleneagles, were you able to
watch? Was it difficult being his brother and
seeing what he had to do, or did you just look
away?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, no. I was
watching. But I was obviously mainly focused on
winning the tournament myself, and you know, I
was watching him as a competitor. And you know,
it not easy when you play with your brother,
because in some ways you obviously want to beat
him because you want to win the tournament, and
some others you want him to do well.
So it's a bit of a conflict, but yeah, usually I
watch him when he plays. That's not a problem.
GORDON SIMPSON: Now we'll see if
Edoardo's answers correspond with yours. Thank
you.
Q. You are portrayed as the quiet one
and Edoardo as the excitable one; is that fair?
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