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BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 27, 2018

Francesco Molinari

Surrey, England

CLARE BODEL: Welcome, Francesco, and congratulations.

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Thank you.

CLARE BODEL: This is a tournament where you've had six Top-10s, you were second last year, and now you've got your hands on the trophy. Did it just feel like your year this year?

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, it never does. But it's great to come out on top. Obviously I've been close in the last few years a few times, just a great week.

To be honest when I saw Rory five ahead after two days, I thought it was going to be really tough to catch him, but the wind probably assisted me yesterday, and yeah, today it was another very solid day for me and just enough to get it over the line.

CLARE BODEL: This is your first European Tour win since The Italian Open in 2016, which sets this up quite nicely for next week, returning home, another Rolex Series Event.

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I feel drained now, so I can't really think about next week, but yeah, I'll have a couple of days off and try to recover as much as possible. It will be a busy week, I'm sure, but yeah, hopefully I can play similar golf to this week and be in contention again. Obviously it would be great to go back after a win like this to see many familiar faces, and just celebrate with them.

Q. What was going through your mind when Rory's putt was going across the last green?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: You don't want to know (laughter). Well, obviously you're hoping it doesn't make it because I wasn't fancying the 6-, 7-footer after all that hard work today. But yeah, I said it outside; obviously if you have a lead here, I think the two par 5s to finish are probably the worst possible finish. I tried to stay aggressive up until 16.

17, once I hit the tee shot in the rough, really, it was always a lay-up, and I didn't get the wedge close enough to have the proper chance.

And 18, I was just trying to make five. I thought if I make five, hopefully he's not going to make two and tie me, but yeah, just not a great lay-up, leaving myself right in-between clubs. You don't want to go long with the flag there and just a bit of luck at the right time.

Q. It looked a bit of a drama-free back nine from where we were sitting, but are you proud the way you sort of held yourself together? You said it's the biggest win of your career. Are you proud of the way you held yourself together?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I'm proud of the way I kept focusing on my own thing, hitting good shots, staying patient and you know, playing the same golf I played yesterday and the rest of the week.

I think I did that really well up in the 18th, and 18th wasn't ideal but it was a five in the end and that's what I needed. So really, really happy about it.

Q. You said in Texas in the match play, that you maybe lacked a bit of killer instinct for match play. Today you were sort of in a head-to-head with Rory. Where did you find the sort of -- that front nine was a little bit of killer instinct, where did you get that from?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I think I just need to focus on my own thing. I think my match play record is maybe not the best but it's not that bad, either.

Obviously this year I won two matches out of three. I think sometimes I just get too drawn on what the other guy is doing, and I was really good today, hitting good shots and focusing on my process and not worrying about anything else.

I think the last bogey I made was the second round on the 10th hole. So to play, I don't know even how many holes, 44 holes without a bogey here, it's impressive, even for my high standards (laughs).

Yeah, I think I did that well today. It was a match-play situation, but I just tried to do my own thing and to be honest, I was more uncomfortable at the finish with the lead. It's never easy when you have to defend the lead, and obviously Rory could play pretty much free of any pressure because he just wanted to win and to come at me.

So it was tough in the end. I felt like I was in control probably up until 15, 16, and then the last two holes, it was more digging in than anything else.

Q. I don't mean to deny you your moment in your celebrations now but the bigger picture, it's a Ryder Cup year and you've won a big event in Ryder Cup context. Has that been on your mind before and how much is it on your mind now in terms of getting to France?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I think I was too far back, really, in the standings to be seriously thinking about it.

Obviously I know it's on a course I love and where I have almost as good a record as I have on here, so I'd love to be there. But there's a lot of great players.

So now I've put myself in a much better position. We'll see. To be honest, it's not been the first thought in my mind so far. Probably be up there when we get closer, but playing two tours and trying to play well on two tours, it's enough on your mind without thinking Ryder Cup.

Q. You said you were able to shut out the fact that it was Rory you were going almost head-to-head with. Was there a time when you might have been more intimidated by him, and when did you sort of get over those feelings?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, to be honest, I mean, I'm old enough now that I've played in probably tougher circumstances even than today; playing against Tiger in The Ryder Cup and stuff like that.

So Rory, he's a great guy. I didn't feel intimidated at all. He's just obviously, like I said, the last couple of holes, he's basically thinking eagle, eagle. I'm thinking par, par, and that makes the whole difference.

I couldn't -- I was trying but I couldn't be aggressive the last two holes. You never know. It was enough to win, so it's good now, and I should be happy with what I did.

Q. You've spoken a few times about the spirit of Italian golf and the success of Constantino Rocca. Where were you when he won, and were you watching?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I was at home watching it. I think it was still when it was finishing on Monday. So I got back from school and just watched the finishing on TV. Yeah, I remember clearly the last few holes, and I don't know, there must be something around here with Italians. We seem to do well.

So hopefully it's a tradition that will continue in the future.

Q. You say you're not thinking, or you weren't thinking about The Ryder Cup, but I don't know whether you know now, I think you're up to fourth. So it must be pretty clearly on your mind now, even if it wasn't this morning or last week.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I mean, when I say that it wasn't, obviously it always is, but I knew I had not played -- unfortunately my last really good week up until now was in August last year, and that was just before the start of The Ryder Cup qualification period.

So I knew I had not played well enough to be up there, and I didn't even look at the standings so far to be honest. You know, it's not -- I don't know where I was but it's not nice seeing that you're a long way back.

So I tried to focus on other things. Now I'll probably have a look tomorrow and enjoy it, but there's a long way to go. Like I was saying, playing two tours, I'm not sure how many events I will play that might be clashing against Ryder Cup tournaments, you know, that count towards the qualification.

We'll see how it goes. I'm playing well enough that I shouldn't really worry too much about that. I should just keep doing my own thing and hopefully things will take care of themselves before October.

Q. When you're playing as well as you are now, what do you do really, really well?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I don't know, you should tell me. You've been watching. You mean what's the difference when I play well and when I don't play well?

Q. You think of Tommy Fleetwood, you think magnificent driver, or other players that have a particular strength. What would you describe as your particular strength?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I don't know, I think I do everything well. I don't want to sound too arrogant but when I play like this, I think I do everything well. Chipping was good. Putting was good. Obviously you miss some putts in 72-hole tournaments, but I think I showed today that I can do pretty much everything as good as the top guys in the world.

Q. You won't be defending this title in a year because it will be going to September. What's your feelings about the switch from May to September for this championship?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it will be weird because for me, this tournament, I've always played this tournament in May. I think I've played it probably 12 or 13 times now, and always in May, so it will be a change.

But I think it should be good for the golf course to have the summer to firm up and be in top conditions. Hopefully we'll get even a stronger field than we did this year.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you.

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