Getty Francesco Molinari pictured with his brother Edoardo Molinari and Tiger Woods at the 2006 Masters.
Francesco Molinari is from Turin, Italy and embraces his Italian nationality. Francesco’s parents, Micaela and Paolo Molinari, are both avid golfers and introduced the game to their sons. Francesco’s brother, Edoardo Molinari, plays golf on the European Tour.
It was his brother that introduced Francesco to Augusta. Edoardo played in 2006 Masters and Francesco was his caddie. Francesco’s brother was paired with Tiger Woods, and they would meet the golfer they grew up idolizing. Now, Francesco will play against Tiger in the final round of the 2019 Masters as the two compete for a green jacket.
“It was a great motivation to see how good the guys were and, at the same time, how much I needed to improve to hopefully one day get here,” Francesco explained to Reuters. “But I mean at the time, to be honest, the goal was to maybe only be once in my career at Augusta, (that) already would have been an achievement for me.”
Learn more about Francesco’s family.
1. Francesco Is From Turin, Italy & Speaks 3 Languages
Francesco was born in Turin, Italy. The well-traveled golfer learned to speak three languages: Italian, English and Spanish. As the European Tour detailed, some consider Francesco the best Italian golfer of all-time.
Some will now consider Francesco the best Italian golfer of all time. He has passed the legendary Constantino Rocca’s total of five European Tour wins – Francesco now has six – and is the first from his country to taste Major success.
2. Francesco’s Dad Would Ban Him From the Course For Throwing Clubs
The golfer is known for his calm demeanor on the course, but it is something he learned the hard way from his dad, Paolo. Francesco’s father was a dentist by trade who helped his sons play golf in his spare time. One of Paolo’s rules is if he saw anyone throwing golf clubs, they would not be able to come back to the course for some time.
“I used to throw clubs as a kid and swear and if my Dad saw me from other holes throwing clubs he wouldn’t let me play for a couple of weeks,” Francesco told HK Golfer. “That was the punishment for not behaving on the golf course. I think I was lucky to learn the lesson as a kid. When you turn professional you try really hard think about what you’re doing and not about what happened or what is going to happen. I think that’s what I did really well in Shanghai.”
3. Francesco Caddied For His Brother, Edoardo, During the 2006 Masters
Francesco Molinari caddying for his brother, Edoardo Molinari, at the 2006 Masters.
Francesco’s first taste of the Masters happened under unexpected circumstances. Francesco and his brother, Edoardo, made a pact that they would caddie for the other brother. Edoardo qualified for the 2006 Masters as the top US amateur meaning Francesco’s Augusta debut was as a caddie.
“I have lots of memories,” Molinari noted to Reuters. “Mostly the fact that I didn’t really enjoy caddying. I love being here and I love caddying for my brother, but it was just so hard to give him clubs, and it seemed a bit of a nightmare, you know, standing with the bag, waiting for him to hit the shots.”
4. Francesco’s Parents Both Played Golf
Both Francesco’s parents had trades just as his father practiced dentistry, his mother was an architect. They both enjoyed playing golf in their spare time. Francesco credits club pro Sergio Bertaina for helping him learn the game.
“My biggest influence was Sergio Bertaina because he coached me when I was a boy,” Francesco told Golfweek. “Then when I was 18, he joined the national coaching squad, so I continued to see him when I was playing in tournaments like the British Amateur Championship and Eisenhower Trophy.”
5. Francesco Married His Wife Valentina in 2007 & the Couple Has 2 Children
When he is not playing in golf tournaments, Francesco resides in London, England with his wife, Valentina Molinari. The couple has two children: Tommaso and Emma. After winning the Open Championship, Francesco credited his wife for supporting his career.
“Big credit to my wife that watches me all the time,” Francesco said, per Golf Monthly. “I don’t know how she does it. I couldn’t do it.”
Valentina’s travel time to tournaments has lessened now that they have two children. The European Tour detailed the couple’s home life setup.
Francesco has made England’s capital city London his home, where he lives with his wife Valentina and two children. Valentina used to travel to tournaments with her husband but since having children, she is no longer able to attend every event. Francesco practises at The Wisley in Surrey, however when he has time off with the family they like to make the most of their home city, often spending their spare time taking in the cultural sites of the city, which he sometimes shares on his Instagram page
