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ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

March 10, 2019

Francesco Molinari

Orlando, Florida

Q. How about the Claret Jug being here at Bay Hill. And you're the defending Open champion here. Five shots back of the lead, what was the game plan going in?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No game plan, I was just trying to hit good shots, give myself chances, I knew it was not going to be easy the course was firm and fast yesterday and I knew it wasn't going to be easy for the guys in the lead, so I thought there was an outside chance and yeah, just started making putts, one of my best putting rounds ever.

Q. I was thinking 8-under, I said 68, it was actually 8-under, 64. So I apologize for that. You've become a clutch player, what has changed in your game the last year or so that has allowed you to put your foot on the pedal and go low like this in big spots?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I mean it's hard to point a finger at one thing. I think it's obviously confidence has to do a lot with it. When I won last year, playing with Rory in the last few groups, it wasn't easy at all. So from there I started building my confidence and just saying I could get it done. And just I went through the summer, through a round of golf that it was hard to believe for me that, and then obviously the winter came and it was time to keep pushing and find some motivation was extremely easy after last year. But I think the smart thing to do was to take a longer break during the winter and just take time to relax first and then to work on the game. And I've never been a fast starter of the year on the PGA TOUR on the European Tour so it's nice to see a change in that trend.

Q. How would you gauge where 12-under will be at the end of this day?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I don't know. It could be a lot more than that, to be honest. So, but I'm really happy with today. Yesterday I was really struggling at some points out there on the course, I made a couple of really good up-and-downs the last few holes to kind of keep it going and keep myself with a half a chance in it, and golf is like that, then you go out the next day and you play really well.

Q. Great round, eight birdies, no bogeys. Just your thoughts on how you played out there today, I don't think you could have gotten anything more out of that round. You were just wonderful.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, yeah, definitely I got everything out of it. I was saying before, it's probably my best putting round ever. I started making two great putts at the 1st and 2nd for birdie and par and then just kept going, hit the ball reasonably well, I won't say it was my best, but, yeah, the putting was just incredible.

Q. Tell me about the chip-in at 8. You kind of blew it left over by the grand stand, you were able to take a drop and that's a difficult shot, you knocked it in.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it was difficult, but I thought it was doable. And it came out perfect, soft and high and landed in the exact spot as I wanted and obviously, again, incredible to see it going in. But I did well to keep it going, keep pushing through the back nine. It's not easy, this golf course, when it gets firm like this, you don't get too many chances, so I'm really pleased with what I've done.

Q. There's been a lot of famous putts made at 18th, Rory made one last year, Tiger made a bunch of them over the years to win this golf tournament. Take us through that 44-footer that you just made.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it's a pretty iconic putt. I'm pretty sure I'm the first guy to make it with the flag in though, so that's the real difference. No, yeah, obviously you're trying to lag it close to the hole and it came out on a great line and maybe a little firmer than I wanted, but the line was just right and incredible to see it going in. Like you said, I've seen so many putts on TV like that and to do it yourself it's really amazing.

Q. Did you come to the golf course today thinking about a number, because you didn't make a lot of birdie yesterday, so what was the mindset coming here today?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, it was just really more about the process and to do better what I didn't do as good yesterday. Yesterday, funny enough, I hit the ball probably better today off the tee and into the greens, I was just struggling with the wind switching direction and intensity and it was just affecting me getting the ball on the greens, I dropped a few soft shots. So it was just getting rid of those sort of stuff and obviously then you make some putts at the beginning, you get it rolling, you just keep the foot on the pedal.

Q. Now obviously you're going to have to wait to find out if this is good enough, but we got THE PLAYERS next week and this would certainly put you in a good mind frame regardless of what happens today for next week.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, obviously THE PLAYERS coming next week, it's a huge tournament for all of us, obviously the first big event of the season. We're lucky to play great tournaments, but that's definitely a special one. Yeah, I was confident already that my game was at a nice point but obviously it's nice to show it like this on a Sunday.

Q. I take it you like the new rule with the flag stick being in?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, yeah, after that putt on 18 I do, yeah. I think it's the first putt that I made with the flag in. So it was about time. Fantastic round and great putting round especially, so very proud of what I did out there.

Q. How did it feel just kind having a run like that, a magical run in the final round here?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, amazing, obviously to be at Arnie's place, it's a tournament that I used to watch on TV when I was back home in Italy and it's just a magical place. So do to a round like this here it's even more special. Obviously with THE PLAYERS coming up next week as well it's nice to show this kind of form and hopefully I can carry it over into next week.

Q. How do you feel the course played today and why do you think it was conducive to your game?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I think yesterday playing in the third to last group probably I saw it as tough as it can be and today it was a little bit easier compared to that, just a tiny bit softer. And, yeah, I just started well and made a couple of great putts at the beginning and then just tried to keep pushing and keep going, so I don't know if it's going to be enough or not, but I'm proud of what I've done today.

Q. Why do you think so many top players still love to play this tournament and do you think THE PLAYERS being next week now will even help more international players coming to play?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I hope so. I mean, it's one of my favorite weeks of the year. It's probably mostly down to Arnie and just to his presence here and then the course is a great course. So, yeah, I think that places like this and Memorial, obviously Arnie and Jack are just a little bit extra special.

Q. That last putt it looked like the line was not that far from a couple that Tiger had sank in previous years. Did that go through your mind at all? Rory said that kind of helped him last year, he had seen that putt before.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, well you know it's definitely not breaking right-to-left from there. It's a long way, so obviously you think about it, yeah, but then it's a tricky putt, so I was just trying to start it on a good line with a good pace and it came out maybe a fraction firmer than I wanted but on a great line and that was it.

Q. How do you feel about the new schedule actually having THE PLAYERS next week, especially considering now that you finished playing here?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think it's good, it's obviously easy from here to get up there in Sawgrass. And it will be interesting for guys like me who have always played it in May to see how different the course plays. Again, I remember watching it on TV when it was early in the year and it looked very different to what I've seen myself, so just curious to get over there and see how it's playing.

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