AUGUSTA, Ga. — Francesco Molinari was gracious in defeat, regardless of dropping management of the Masters following a moist and disappointing again 9.
Just two dangerous photographs, that’s all it took. Two splashdowns within the water and two double bogeys Sunday left him watching Tiger Woods rejoice capturing one other inexperienced jacket.
But Molinari was something however petulant following the stinging setback. He acknowledged that watching Woods make historical past was particular. Despite blowing a three-shot lead through the ultimate spherical, he may recognize the roars from the group and the electrical ambiance at Augusta National.
However, he stopped wanting saying he changed into a fan for a second on the 18th inexperienced when Woods gained.
Francesco Molinari takes a drop on the 12th gap through the ultimate spherical of the Masters on Sunday in Augusta, Ga. David J. Phillip/AP
“No,” he mentioned earlier than breaking right into a small grin. “Sorry.”
After taking part in rock-solid golf for 3½ rounds, Molinari flinched and errors opened the door for Woods — and others. Molinari hit his tee shot into the water at No. 12 and his third shot on No. 15 ended up moist as nicely.
The 36-year-old Italian went 49 straight holes and not using a bogey at one level through the event. But a few dangerous swings erased all that good work in a rush.
“From my point of view, it’s just a step along the way,” Molinari mentioned. “I feel it wasn’t my day immediately. That ball on 12, whether it is one yard additional left it goes within the bunker (as an alternative of the water). The third shot on 15, it may simply haven’t clipped the tree.
“Sometimes it’s your day. Sometimes it isn’t.”
Molinari mentioned he hit an 8-iron on the decisive 12th gap. Last 12 months’s British Open champion mentioned the wind was troublesome to evaluate on Sunday and he didn’t at all times have the management he needed.
“We picked the right shot.” Molinari mentioned. “I simply didn’t hit it arduous sufficient. Simple as that. It was powerful immediately with the wind gusting. I managed to scramble nicely on the entrance 9. I simply had a pair psychological lapses on the again 9 that had been expensive.
“But it’s what it’s.”
It appeared like Molinari may run away along with his second main in two years through the first a part of the spherical. He made six straight pars as others faltered. When he walked to the No. 7 tee field, he had a three-shot lead, trying unfazed by what was occurring round him.
He made bogey on No. 7 to finish his par-or-better streak at 49 holes, however recovered with a birdie on No. 8. At the flip, he was nonetheless two photographs forward.
But the primary double bogey on 12 dropped him right into a tie for the lead. The second on 15 despatched him tumbling out of rivalry.
“You cannot open the door to those kids of great players,” Molinari’s caddie Pello Iguaran mentioned. “So you see what happens.”
By the time 18 approached, the roars from the group had turned towards Tiger. The alternative for his second main title had disappeared.
“I’m really happy of the way I felt out there,” Molinari mentioned. “I used to be calm, collected, by no means panicked — even after the primary double bogey. I discovered plenty of issues immediately.
“I did just a few issues I want I had accomplished otherwise now, however I study from my errors.”