VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — The Molinari brothers are back in tandem for Europe’s defense of the Ryder Cup.
Francesco Molinari was named Wednesday as an assistant to European captain Luke Donald for next year’s matches at Adare Manor in Ireland, joining older brother Edoardo in the backroom team.
The Italian siblings have been Donald’s assistants for Team Europe’s wins outside Rome in 2023 and at Bethpage Black in 2025, with Edoardo having a key role in providing important statistical analysis. They also played together for the win in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.
FILE – Francesco Molinari of Italy plays his second shot on the first hole during the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic in United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, file)
Francesco said it was an “easy, straightforward decision” to accept Donald’s request.
“I was very pleased when Luke asked me,” he said. “I’ve had two great experiences in Rome and New York, two very different ones, but both of them memorable, and some of the best weeks of my life.”
In 2018, Francesco became the first European player to win all five of his matches in a Ryder Cup during the team’s victory at Le Golf National outside Paris. He won the British Open that year, too.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf