The 2010 season has been one to remember for the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco. But as the campaign approaches a tumultuous climax at the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World in just over a month’s time, there is no sense of slacking off for the boys from Turin.
With five tournaments to be played before the final event on The Race to Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the big guns are preparing for the final push which can have a dramatic effect on the placings once the second Race to Dubai has run its course on November 28.
Right now, Edoardo holds bragging rights in the Molinari family in seventh place on The Race to Dubai with €1,747,648 and in contention for a substantial chunk of the bonus pool available to the leading 15 players at the end of the season.
Meanwhile Francesco has moved into 11th position with €1,320,160 after his brilliant finish to the Portugal Masters, when a closing 62 – his second ten under par round of the week – propelled him into a tie for second place at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course.
Now Francesco is poised to finish considerably higher than in 2009, when he claimed a slice of the bonus pool in 14th place on The Race to Dubai.
The younger Molinari brother admitted that the new end of season format has been an exciting development for The European Tour Membership. He said: “There's much more excitement about what was the Order of Merit and is now The Race to Dubai.
“I think it's a great idea because it gives us the motivation really to strive to get into that last tournament and try to get part of the Bonus Pool. I think it's really a great idea and I enjoyed last year’s event, which turned out to be such an exciting tournament.
“The way I'm playing, I would definitely aim to finish higher than 15th this time. But you never know what's going to happen. Right now I am 11th and want to get as high as I can go.”
This time last year, Edoardo was claiming Number One position in the Challenge Tour Rankings, but the subsequent 12 months have proved beyond the wildest dreams of the Italian.
With two victories on The Race to Dubai in The Barclays Scottish Open and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Edoardo secured a wild card for The 2010 Ryder Cup along with Francesco, who qualified automatically. The rest, as they say, is history.
Like his sibling, Edoardo loves the end of season battle for the Number One position. He commented: “Obviously it’s going to be hard for anyone to catch Martin Kaymer, but we will all be trying as hard as we can.
“It’s a really exciting time of the year with a lot of big tournaments and huge prize money to be won. The Tour has done a great job by creating the Race and the Bonus Pool and if you play well, anything can happen.”
The Bonus Pool is now a realistic target for Australian Richard Green, who climbed to 22nd position on the strength of his third Tour victory in the Portugal Masters and the left hander will now play in every event between now and the Dubai World Championship in order to attain a high finish.
