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WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPFebruary 15, 2010Edoardo MolinariFrancesco MolinariMARANA, ARIZONA STEVE TODD: Edoardo, Francesco, thank you for joining us here in Tucson. The first brothers to play the WGC event. How does that feel? EDOARDO MOLINARI: I think it's a very good feeling, because both of us have been playing quite well last year, the last two years. So it's going to be good fun this week. STEVE TODD: You've played well the last year or so. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Obviously as Edoardo said, it feels great to be here, because it's something we earned the last season. So I think it's like a bonus for our performances last year, and it was our goal to be here and feels really good. STEVE TODD: Just reflect on your opening draw. It's a bit of a tough one? EDOARDO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think Stewart Cink is a very good player, and he has a great record here, because he finished I think third last year and second two years ago. So it's going to be a very difficult match, but I have nothing to lose. I'm playing quite well at the moment. So hopefully I can enjoy the game and hopefully come out on top. STEVE TODD: And you have Zach Johnson. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: So we've got two good openings, but I think we are here to play against the best, to improve our game and hopefully to do well. So I think the goal is, at least at the start of the week, in every tournament, is to win. So we are here to play our best golf and see how far we can go. STEVE TODD: Thanks for those. Open it up for some questions. Q. Had you guys, either one of you ever been to Arizona or played many desert courses before? And first impressions on just your surroundings. EDOARDO MOLINARI: I've never been to Arizona before. I don't think Francesco has, either. I think the course this week is very good. Conditions are great. Probably the greens are not too quick yet, but it's a great course, great design, and I think it's very good for match play especially with 15, 16, I think anything can happen around there. And I think it's a great golf course for this event. Q. When you guys play a practice round together, do you maybe share information or talk a little bit more among each other than you would with somebody who is not related? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think we watch the course together and we share the things we see. And even technically if someone is needing some advice, the other one tries to help him. So it's really good obviously to have your brother here and have help from someone. Q. How has your success impacted golf in Italy? EDOARDO MOLINARI: I think last year after winning the World Cup something finally changed because up to then golf was really a minor sport. Since the World Cup the situation has changed. There's a page in the sports newspaper, almost every week, every -- from Thursday through Sunday, almost every day there is some golf news in the newspapers finally. And hopefully we can get somewhat good results to keep it going in this direction, which would be fantastic for us. Q. Have you seen the World Rankings today? EDOARDO MOLINARI: I did. Q. That is the first time, isn't it, that you are ahead? EDOARDO MOLINARI: Yes. Q. Have you joked about it? EDOARDO MOLINARI: I don't know. I don't know if he's in the mood to joke. Q. That's a significant achievement for you, isn't it, considering where you were a couple of years ago? EDOARDO MOLINARI: Yeah, absolutely. I think last year I played very well. I was very consistent on the Challenge Tour, even if on the Challenge Tour I think there will be probably too many points compared to the standings in the fields. But still I had to win a lot of points to get ahead of him. And then most of the points I won them in Japan, and then on Tour this year in Dubai, and then in South Africa in December. So I think even if I'm ahead now I think Francesco is still better than I am, honestly. And I still have some ground to make up. But I'm getting closer. Q. Francesco, I think I asked you this in Portugal, about a memorable match the two of you had and you said you remembered something from your amateur days? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, we had the match, I think it was the first match we had in an International competition. We had it in Spain in the Spanish Amateur. And I think Edoardo was 5-up after nine holes or something like that. And then I was 1-up on the 18th tee and three-putted the 18th. So we went to the playoff and we had to play I think five holes in the playoff. And then he won at the 23rd hole. So it was quite a nice match. Q. Is that the last significant match you've had with him? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, I think that was one of the first ones. Then we had a few others in Italy, but in minor competitions, like club championship or stuff like that. STEVE TODD: And you obviously did well in the World Cup, winning that in match play. How does that suit your individual games? EDOARDO MOLINARI: I think match play is a little bit different than stroke play, obviously. But the good point for us is that we played a lot of match play as amateurs because most of the tournaments in Europe amateur tournaments are match play, like the British Amateur and all the big amateur championships. So hopefully we can draw back on that experience this week, because as I said, we played a lot of times match play, so I think that's an advantage for us. STEVE TODD: Francesco, you obviously played in the Seve Trophy in October. You had a great debut in that, as well, that must give you some confidence coming into something like this. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it was a really nice experience for me. And as Edoardo said, we played a lot of match play as amateurs, so I think that probably helps us even today when we have to face match play competition. So hopefully we can do well this week. Q. Can you both just reflect on being brothers as well as being competitors? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I think, I mean, it's not too different from having another guy competing against you. There's not too much competition between us. But he's definitely a big help on Tour, with the life on Tour. So not only on practicing and helping each other with technical stuff, but also, you know, having somebody to have dinner with and to share your opinion with on the course and on the plays. So I think he makes life on Tour definitely much easier. EDOARDO MOLINARI: I think same as Francesco said, it's a big help for both of us. And we are very supportive of each other. So whenever one of the two plays well, the other is happy, also. And as Francesco said, he's a great help for life on Tour, because sometimes with all the traveling and the hotels, sometimes it cannot be a lot of fun. But having someone you know very well next to you is a big, big help, on some weeks, especially. Q. Edoardo, what does Francesco do better than you, do you think, at the moment? EDOARDO MOLINARI: In golf? Q. Yes. Other things, if you like (laughter). Let's start with that. EDOARDO MOLINARI: I think he's definitely a better bunker player than I am, and he's probably more accurate, not so much with the driver, but more with the longer irons and mid to long irons, he's very good. He's probably one of the best with the long irons. So it's going to be tough to beat him on that part. But I'm trying to get there. I'm a little bit longer off the tee, but not much, really, between five and ten yards, I'd say, and the same distance with the clubs. Q. With golf becoming an Olympic sport, will that increase the interest in the countries of Europe, especially like the government of Italy? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think obviously the Olympics are really big in Europe and even the minor sports get a lot of attention during those two or three weeks. So it will definitely help golf in nations like Italy where it's not so popular. And obviously the Federation will need to do some work to have that popularity lasting more than just the three weeks of the Olympics. STEVE TODD: Edoardo, Francesco, thanks a lot. Good luck for this week. End of FastScripts |
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