Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Francesco Molinari
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Francesco Molinari made an impact.
Francesco Molinari is a distinguished Italian professional golfer who has achieved significant international success. He is best known for his historic 2018 season, during which he became the first Italian to win a major championship by claiming the Open Championship at Carnoustie. That same year, he delivered a record-breaking performance at the Ryder Cup, securing five points out of five to help Team Europe defeat the United States. A consistent performer on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, Molinari reached a career-high world ranking of fifth. Known for his tactical precision, iron play, and composed demeanor, he has established himself as one of the most successful golfers in European history, contributing substantially to the global prominence of Italian golf.
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1980: Historical Context of Italian Open Win
In 1980, Massimo Mannelli achieved a victory at the Telecom Italia Open, a feat not replicated by an Italian until Francesco Molinari in 2006.
2004: Amateur Championship Success and Turning Professional
In 2004, Molinari achieved significant success as an amateur golfer by winning the Italian Match Play Championship, following his previous victories in the Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and subsequently turned professional later that same year.
2005: Earning European Tour Card
In 2005, Francesco Molinari earned his European Tour card via qualifying school and concluded his rookie season ranked 86th on the Order of Merit.
May 2006: First European Tour Victory
In May 2006, Molinari achieved his maiden European Tour win at the Telecom Italia Open, becoming the first Italian victor of the event since 1980.
2007: 2007 European Tour Performance
During the 2007 season, Molinari competed on the European Tour, finishing 60th on the Order of Merit.
November 2008: Entry into Official World Golf Ranking Top 100
In November 2008, Francesco Molinari began a long-standing tenure within the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
2008: 2008 European Tour Performance
In 2008, Molinari continued his career progression on the European Tour, ending the year ranked 24th on the Order of Merit.
October 2009: Top 50 World Ranking
In October 2009, Molinari successfully entered the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his professional career.
2009: Omega Mission Hills World Cup Win
In 2009, Francesco Molinari teamed up with his brother Edoardo to win the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, marking the only time Italy has won this specific event.
October 2010: Participation in the 2010 Ryder Cup
In October 2010, Molinari represented the European team at the Ryder Cup held at the Celtic Manor Resort. Throughout the competition, he played alongside his brother Edoardo in four-ball and foursome matches, and faced Tiger Woods in the final singles match.
November 2010: Victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions
On 7 November 2010, Francesco Molinari secured a victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament held in Shanghai, China, by defeating Lee Westwood with a score of 19-under par. This win improved his Official World Golf Ranking to 14th and contributed to his 5th-place finish in the Race to Dubai for the 2010 season.
May 2012: Victory at the Reale Seguros Open de España
On May 6, 2012, Francesco Molinari secured his third European Tour victory at the Reale Seguros Open de España by shooting a tournament-best 65 in the final round to overcome a four-stroke deficit and win by three strokes.
July 2012: Runner-up at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open
In July 2012, just before the Open Championship, Molinari finished as the runner-up at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open after being defeated by Jeev Milkha Singh on the first playoff hole.
2012: 2012 Ryder Cup Participation
In 2012, Francesco Molinari participated in the Ryder Cup, where he played in both foursomes and four-balls before halving his final day singles match against Tiger Woods, contributing to Europe's victory.
2012: Ryder Cup Victory
In 2012, Francesco Molinari was a member of the European team that emerged victorious at the Ryder Cup.
2013: 2013 Season Performance
Throughout the 2013 season, Molinari did not record a tournament victory but maintained a consistent ranking within the top fifty of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
2014: 2014 PGA Tour Qualification
In 2014, Molinari achieved a 6th place finish at The Players Championship, which helped him secure a full PGA Tour card for the 2014-15 season.
2015: International Tournament Highlights
During 2015, Molinari achieved a 2nd place finish at the Open de España, a 3rd place at the Memorial Tournament, and recorded a hole-in-one at the 16th hole of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
2015: PGA Tour Membership
In 2015, Francesco Molinari officially became a member of the PGA Tour, which signifies that his official money list statistics prior to this year are not recorded within that specific organization.
September 2016: Italian Open Victory
In September 2016, Francesco Molinari made history by becoming the first Italian golfer to win the Italian Open twice, securing a one-shot victory over Danny Willett.
May 2018: BMW PGA Championship Victory
In May 2018, Francesco Molinari secured his fifth European Tour victory and first Rolex Series title by winning the BMW PGA Championship, defeating Rory McIlroy by two strokes in a final round performance that tied him with Costantino Rocca for the most European Tour wins by an Italian.
September 2018: Historic Performance at the 2018 Ryder Cup
In September 2018, Francesco Molinari played a pivotal role in the European team's victory over the U.S. team at the 2018 Ryder Cup, achieving a historic 5-0-0 record, including a notable singles win against Phil Mickelson and a perfect partnership with Tommy Fleetwood.
November 2018: Winning the Race to Dubai
On 18 November 2018, Francesco Molinari secured the season-long Race to Dubai title on the European Tour, earning a prize of $1,250,000 for his exceptional performance throughout the season.
2018: Ryder Cup Victory
In 2018, Francesco Molinari participated in the Ryder Cup, helping the European team secure another tournament victory.
2018: Partnership with Dave Alred
In 2018, professional golfer Francesco Molinari began working with performance coach Dave Alred to improve the mental aspects of his golf game.
2018: Highly Successful 2018 Season and Accolades
Throughout 2018, Francesco Molinari achieved significant success by winning the Race to Dubai title on the European Tour. Additionally, he was recognized as the European Tour Golfer of the Year and the European Tour Players' Player of the Year. He also received the Golden Collar of Sports Merit and became the first Italian to be named the BBC World Sport Star of the Year in 2018.
2018: 2018 Championship and Career Breakthroughs
Throughout 2018, Molinari achieved historic career milestones including winning the 2018 Open Championship, the BMW PGA Championship, and the Quicken Loans National, and contributing a perfect 5 out of 5 points to the European victory at the 2018 Ryder Cup.
March 2019: Victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
On 10 March 2019, Francesco Molinari secured his third career PGA Tour win by triumphing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a spectacular final-round score of 64, overcoming a 5-stroke deficit.
April 2019: Performance at the Masters Tournament
In April 2019, Francesco Molinari entered the final round of the Masters as the leader, but ultimately finished T5 after double bogeys on the 12th and 15th holes, marking his best performance at the tournament to date.
2019: Arnold Palmer Invitational Victory
In 2019, Francesco Molinari secured his third career victory on the PGA Tour by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
November 2020: Conclusion of Top 100 Ranking Streak
November 2020 marked the end of a continuous period in which Molinari was ranked within the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, a streak that started back in 2008.
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