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JOHNNIE WALKER CHAMPIONSHIP AT GLENEAGLES

August 26, 2010

Francesco Molinari

GLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND

Q. We'll talk about your round in just a moment but first of all, the fact that you are now a confirmed Ryder Cup player, Ross McGowan has had to withdraw, how does it feel to make the team?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, obviously it's not the best way of making the team. I'm sorry for Ross but for me it's very good news. I came here to play the last week and secure my spot on the team. I don't know if I have to realise it. I used to watch Constantino playing Ryder Cups against Tiger, and, you know, making hole-in-one in the States two years before. It's really a dream, and it was obviously one of the goals of the season, so I'm really pleased to have achieved that. And we have to, you know, get ready for The Ryder Cup and try to win the Cup back.

Q. How difficult have the last few weeks been, you've been there in the mix and looking pretty solidly in place and the media are asking you questions, how hard has it been?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Obviously it gets tougher when the deadline is approaching, and I've been pretty much in a good position all the time, but still, there was a long way to go and there was obviously big money to play for in Firestone and the PGA. It wasn't easy to focus just on the game, but, you know, in the end, I did good enough to make the team, so I'm really, really pleased.

Q. How will you prepare? Will you take some rest or play some more? What will you do?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think I'll play at least one more. I'm not sure to be honest with you, I think I'll play one more probably and then take a couple of weeks off before The Ryder Cup just to rest a little bit and get ready, get the game in the best shape possible.

Q. How did you feel about your play today? Looked stress-free as it always does with you?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: It's not stress-free, I can assure you. It was a bit stressful on the greens, they were a bit bumpy on the last few holes but that's normal. Tomorrow morning they will be probably a little bit better, and the game is good, the putting is feeling quite good. So it will be nice to finish off with a win, not to be the only guy on the team without the win.
So that's the goal for the week and let's see if I can achieve that, as well.

Q. Are you sort of relieved now that you are on the side?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, well, you know, I knew -- obviously it feels very good but I knew that I needed a good week, it would have been good enough no matter what the other guys were doing. It feels good, but, you know, I've been thinking about it already in the last few days.

Q. When it you learn that Ross had pulled out?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Just now.

Q. Did you have the calculator out on Sunday night?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I hate to say that Denis Pugh sent me a text saying that you're in the team, and then obviously Miguel decided to play here, and I told him, never send me a text like that again in your life. (Laughter).
You know, it feels amazing, really. I still have to realise.

Q. It's been a long time since Constantino played in The Ryder Cup, isn't it?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I was -- the first time I played, I was a kid and a little bit older and still watching on it TV. I used to look at Ryder Cup players like something that maybe I would never achieve, so to get there, you know, I'm going to be 28 in November, so to get there at my age is really nice.

Q. Have you talked to Constantino about his experiences?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, I haven't seen him recently. I talk about that with him last year, we played the Italian PGA together, the first two rounds, and obviously, you know, when we play, it was always questions about The Ryder Cup.
So, yeah, he's told me a few things, but, yeah, it will be nice probably to speak with him before going to --

Q. You will try?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, definitely, yeah.

Q. You obviously hope Edoardo gets in. Are you pretty sure he should?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: He's my brother. I'm not going to say he shouldn't get the pick. I don't know. I can understand it's a really tough job for Monty, especially now that I'm in the team and I'm going to say anything -- I think he's -- I'm sure he's going to pick the strongest three guys, and we just need to focus on our game and get there and try to win the Cup back.

Q. What do you hope to add to the team?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I don't know. I mean, everybody knows my game. I'm quite consistent, so I think if I get there in a good form as I am at the moment, I can bring, obviously, some consistency, I think both in the four-balls and in the foursomes. It would be to Monty to decide if I have to play and which format I have to play.

Q. Important to you that you've been on the leaderboard at majors now and all that?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think it was really a great experience for me in Whistling Straits to be leading the first round and then to play the third round with Tiger for the first time. So, you know, those are things that may be don't benefit you in the short term, but in the long term at The Ryder Cup, they might come useful, as well.

Q. Is this also a reflection of the fact that you have played in Europe, you've sort of committed your search to playing The European Tour, you've played Wentworth and you've come to Gleneagles and you knew what you had to do and you've done that?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I thought at the start of the season, it was hard to get in from the World Ranking points. So to make a chance to make the team, I had to focus on The European Tour. I mean, TPC is the only tournament I played in the States that wasn't counting for Ryder Cup.
So, you know, as I said, it was a goal to make the team, and I tried to make everything to achieve it.

End of FastScripts

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