THE 150TH OPEN

July 16, 2022

Francesco Molinari

Mixed Zone

Q. You enjoyed it out there?

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it was good. It was obviously benign conditions this morning when we started but still need to take advantage of it. So it was nice to play some nice golf. Yeah, good round all in all.

Q. Do you get memories of Carnoustie? Do you find the similar conditions, rock hard, back in Scotland, do you get the feel-good factor back?

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: It's similar although I think it plays very different. You hit a lot more drivers here. Carnoustie is a lot more positional. You just can't get away with hitting drivers every hole.

Here there's some holes, especially on the back nine, where you just hit driver, and if you finish in the rough, you know it's fine.

The firmness is similar, but the way it's playing is not too similar.

Q. But it brings out the best in you, The Open, doesn't it? Your results coming in here and then you shoot a 66 today.

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I don't think it's too dissimilar to what I've done this year to be honest. I've had some really good rounds in other tournaments. I just don't have the consistency to put four good rounds together.

This week has been similar. I was very close to missing the cut yesterday, and today obviously was nice. Yeah, I'm just lacking a bit of consistency.

Q. Do you feel it could have been even better today?

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: It's golf. You always feel like you should shoot three or four shots lower. But, no, I think realistically I made some good putts.

I think we were unlucky on 11 that the wind switched to 180 degrees when we were on the tee. I was going to hit 9-iron and I went to 7-iron and it was too short. So it was confusing.

But, no, apart from that, I couldn't do a lot better than 6-under.

Q. How do you feel physically?

FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, good. My back has been holding up all year nicely. So that's gone.

Like I was saying, it's just about finding some consistency in the form.