The 2013 Italian Open will take place at the stunning Golf Club Torino – La Mandria, the home club of brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, from September 19-22.
It will be the 70thedition of the event, which has been part of The European Tour International Schedule since its inception in 1972, and is a few kilometres from Royal Park I Roveri, which has staged the tournament for the past four years.
Edoardo and Francesco Molinari honed their games on Golf Club Torino’s two courses, which were designed by John Morrison and remodelled by Graham Cooke in the late 1990s. The siblings have gone on to achieve great success, winning five titles between them on The European Tour, appearing together in The 2010 Ryder Cup and taking Italy to a maiden win in the Mission Hills World Cup in 2009.
Both players are still attached to Golf Club Torino, which is set in La Mandria, one of the most beautiful parks in the Piemonte region, and Edoardo won the Piemonte Open at the venue in 2009 en route to winning the Challenge Tour Rankings with record earnings.
Francesco Molinari said: "I am delighted that the Italian Open is going to be played at Circolo Golf Torino in 2013. I learned to play golf there and played most of my golf there until I moved to London.
“It is a great golf course and I'm sure all the players will enjoy the challenge. All the members will welcome the European Tour and hopefully it will be a memorable edition of the Italian Open."
Edoardo added: “It will be fantastic to play in the Italian Open at our home course, where we spent so many years playing as we grew up. We have many friends there and it will be a very special week. I’m already looking forward to playing the tournament.
“I think The European Tour and all the players competing will be very impressed with the club and the course. It is very scenic and offers a good challenge.”
Golf Club Torino has hosted the Italian Open on one occasion, in 1999, when Dean Robertson won the title. The club was founded in 1920 and has been at the current site since 1956.
Jamie Birkmyre, Championship Director of the tournament, said: “The Italian Open has long been one of the highlights of The European Tour International Schedule and we are delighted by the news that it will be held at Golf Club Torino in 2013.
“We have enjoyed four fantastic years at Royal Park I Roveri and we are grateful to the club for all they have done for the event. Now we look forward to a new chapter in the tournament’s history at the magnificent Golf Club Torino. I’m sure the 2013 edition will be a huge success.”
