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ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPENJuly 12, 2012Francesco MolinariINVERNESS, SCOTLAND SCOTT CROCKETT: That was a fantastic effort out there. Just give us your thoughts on that 62 and what were the keys behind it? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, you know, it was obviously a very pleasant morning for me, just started off with a good start playing well, and holing some good putts. You know, just fantastic to have two rounds like today and Sunday's round in Paris, one after the other. Just feeling great at the moment. Obviously I know it's not going to be this easy for much longer, so I just need to get ready for what's coming in the next three days. SCOTT CROCKETT: You obviously ended the week well in Paris, did you carry on the feelings when you stepped on the first tee this morning; the 10th tee? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I tried, but many times after a really good round, it's hard to follow a really good round with another one. I just tried to hit obviously shot by shot and not thinking too much about the score. And everything went really well. Q. Did you have 59 in your mind at any point? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Not really. I realised on the 7th tee that I was 10‑under with three holes to go, but 7 and 8, especially, are not really great birdie chances. So I thought it was going to be hard and I was happy, to be honest, with the three closing pars. Q. A long way to go but Edoardo has won twice in Scotland, including this event; what would that mean to you to do the same? FRANCESCO MOLINARI:  You know, he's won twice, so I would have to win another one to match him. It would be great, not only because he won, but because The Scottish Open is such a great tournament. It's such a long way to go, that I don't really want to think too much about it now. I just try to do my best, and, yeah, it will be great to join him in the winners of this tournament. Q. First question, you've been working with Mark Roe; right? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah. Q. You've had a lot of success; what's different? What's happening here, and also, Marcel Siem is working with him, too. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: We started working three years ago just before The Ryder Cup. So you know, we made a few changes on my putting and on my short game, and I think it's improving. Obviously I have good days and bad days like everyone has, but the roll I get off the putter is much better, and I just feel more confident on the greens. So I think that we are doing the right stuff. Q. Do you live in London, as well? I think your brother livestherealmost full time. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Edoardo lives in Italy. Q. West Ham United, why? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, it's a combination of reasons. Obviously Inter Milan is my team, really, but when I moved to London, I had to pick a team to support here, and Denis Pugh is a West Ham fan, and my agent at the time was a West Ham fan, and the manager there, we were good friends, so it was quite obvious to choose West Ham. Q. Do you go on a regular basis? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, never been. I'd like to go once but obviously it's hard to find the time. Q. Where would you rank that among your best rounds? Near the top? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, definitely. I think still, thinking of the conditions and the situation, probably the round of Sunday in Paris was the best I've had, even if I had another couple of 62s in Portugal. But, yeah, obviously doing it in the last round means a lot more. Q. I was going to ask, is this the hottest form you've ever been in, if you put these two rounds together?  And can you take this into next week where your Open record isn't great, is it. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I hope so. It's difficult in golf to keep the form going for a few weeks in a row. I've been playing all year, and I struggled last year with my long game which is a bit unusual for me. It was a tough year last year but I learned a lot on my short game, and a few things are coming together now. We'll see. Obviously the putting is the difference in the score. I hope to keep this form going a little bit longer, obviously not only next week, but the next month or so is really big for The Ryder Cup. And that, probably more than The Open Championship, is in my mind. Q. With links golf, is the short game especiallythe key? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I think on any golf course, and especially on links courses, you play some different shots, and I get a putter roll that my putter has on pace putting, which you have a lot on links golf. Q. Would you rather it toughened up here to prepare you for that, or are you quite happy if it stayed, getting the confidence boost from shooting so low? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Obviously it's not something I can control, so I will just try to get along with the conditions. I think the golf course is in good condition with the rain they had the last few weeks. I don't think it's going to be too firm at Lytham, either. It's probably going to be pretty good preparation. Q. Do you think that will change next week a lot in terms of who can win? It's very non‑linksy almost. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I've never played Lytham before, but from what I hear, it's a very good, strong golf course. I think whatever the conditions, the better players are going to come on top in the end. Q. It was the Amateur in Troon in 2004 when we first met the Molinari brothers; what was your first experience with Scottish links golf? Was it before Troon? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: It was the first golfing links experience was the St. Andrews Links Trophy. I was living at St. Andrews and it was really windy and I shot 89 on the Old Course. Q. In 2004? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, it must have been in 2001 or 2002. Q. Describe the 89. Was it a type of golf that grew on you at that point? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: After, that yeah, I think that round will stay in my memory for a long time. Q. Are you saying that the Ryder Cup, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but is it more realistic than The Open Championship? Is that what you mean when you say that you are thinking of that more than The Open? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, I don't know, in my goals at the moment, it would be amazing and fantastic to win The Open, or any tournament, from now to The Ryder Cup. But the main goal that I have in mind at the moment is to make the team. Obviously it would be even better to make the team winning The Open or whatever other tournament I can on the way. But that's the aim at the moment. Q. You were a part of the winning team last time, is that still the most special experience you've had on a golf course? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, I think once you've played in one, it's so good, that obviously you want to do anything you can to get back on the team. I played three matches last time, and only made half a point. So my record is not the best.  But I would like to go back there and try to improve that. Q. Edoardo is not here; is he recovering from an injury at the moment? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, he had surgery done on his left wrist two weeks ago, so he's going to be out for a while. So it would be nice to do well this week for him, as well, to cheer him up a little bit. Q. What can you rememberfrom that round of 89? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, I birdied the last (laughter). A big relief, birdieing the last. I was probably 18 at the time and never played on a links golf course at the time, and it was 30, 40 miles an hour wind hitting driver and 2‑iron off the first in St. Andrews. So it was a big shot, really. But obviously somehow I enjoyed myself. I just saw a different kind of golf that I had not seen before. Q. The New Course? FRANCESCO MOLINARI: No, I played the Old Course. It was so windy that they just count the second round. That was it; 89, that was all. SCOTT CROCKETT: Birdie at the last to break 90. FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I remember the putt. Big fist pump. (Laughter). SCOTT CROCKETT: Francesco, many thanks. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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