At the Barclays Scottish Open in Loch Lomond, Edoardo Molinari battled the foulest Scottish weather and a dangerously able-looking Darren Clarke to win his maiden European Tour victory. One true constant for the Italian's meteoric rise in the last 18 months (a record 3 wins on the Challenge Tour last season) has been his putter.
Molinari is not only a very handy all-rounder on the golf course and hugely well-liked, he is also one of the most gifted putters of his generation. According to Edoardo's putting coach Phil Kenyon the 29 year-old from Turin truly understands the old maxim of 'putting for dough', and he spends a remarkable amount of time and focus on perfecting his skills with the flatstick. The hours he puts with Phil can clearly be seen in his metronomic accuracy with the putter and the steady nerve with which he performs one he's safely on the green.
He went into the final round with just a 1 stroke lead, but that was after an extraordinary 3rd round 63 (only one shot off Retief Goosen's 1997 standing course record of 62). That 3rd round performance and the immense psychological advantage he owns from knowing once he's on the green he's truly in his element, meant that by the 14th he looked pretty much uncatchable.
Indeed, it was on the par 4 14th that both his playing partners, brother Francesco and Darren Clarke - lying 4 feet and 1½ feet from t he cup respectively - watched as Edoardo unflinchingly sunk a 10 foot putt to birdie the hole.
His consistency is due also in large part to the fact that he has kept the same putter in the bag for over 6 years - a Yes! Callie.
In addition to the winner's cheque for just over €600,000 Edoardo Molinari also saw himself zip past more experienced younger brother Francesco in the Race to Dubai rankings to occupy #8 position. Additionally, he now looks set to be a real contender for the Ryder Cup Team.
