Francesco Molinari joins brother as European Ryder Cup Vice Captain

Aug 16, 2023

Francesco Molinari will arrive alongside his brother Edoardo at Marco Simone Country Club in Rome as a European Vice Captain

Francesco Molinari has joined his brother Edoardo as a European Vice Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

The 2018 Open champion joins Luke Donald’s backroom staff two weeks after Jose Maria Olazabal was also named to Team Europe’s leadership team.

Molinari joins Olazabal, Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjorn and Nicolas Colsaerts on the side hungry to wrestle back the famous trophy they so brutally lost to the USA in 2021.

“I am very proud to be part of Luke’s team. I started the year hoping to be there as a player, but it is still a great honour to be there as a Vice Captain,” Molinari said.

“I got a phone call from Luke asking if I was interested and obviously it was a clear answer from me. He is assembling a really good team of people. A lot of them are close to me in different ways.

“We’ve all shared the stage together already in some form and that helps when it comes to decision time and putting Luke and the players in the best conditions possible to perform at their best.”

In the same year Molinari hoisted the Claret Jug, he earned five out of five points for the blue and gold team in France while forming a formidable Ryder Cup partnership alongside Tommy Fleetwood.

He made his debut playing alongside his older brother at the 2010 Ryder Cup. The pair earned a half in the fourballs with Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar at a drenched Celtic Manor.

Molinari earned another crucial half point against Tiger Woods in the singles of the 2012 matches which meant Europe won the cup outright at Medinah.

His stunning display at Le Golf National six years later was the Italian’s third appearance, and third victory, at the tournament that heads to his home country for the first time.

“The coolest moment I have had in the Ryder Cup was making my debut alongside Edoardo in Wales and experiencing for the first time what it meant to be part of the European Team,” he added. “It is super special to be there with him again in Rome.

“It is a proud moment any time you get to put on the shirt with the European badge on it. It’s a Ryder Cup which is particularly close to my heart being played in Rome so I will do whatever I can to help Luke and the team and hopefully bring the trophy back to Europe.”

Matt Chivers

Matt is NCG's man for all things going on in the world of tour golf. Kent born and bred, Matt is 7 handicap at Royal Cinque Ports and spent many years caddying at Royal St George's before moving north to study history at the University of Liverpool. Away from golf, Matt is an avid Arsenal fan and horse racing enthusiast. He is also keen to point out his surname is pronounced Chiv-ers, not Chive-ers.