Edoardo Molinari is famed for helping his fellow professionals but this week at the 2021 Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett the Italian has enlisted some help himself as he looks to find the missing piece in his game.
Long known as a statistics aficionado, keeping detailed records and spreadsheets of his rounds, he has now launched an app and many of the game's biggest stars are using it looking for those small gains that make all the difference.
Tenerife Open champion Dean Burmester spoke on day two at The Belfry of how he uses the StatisticGolf app, while ahead of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, six time European Tour winner Matthew Fitzpatrick called Molinari a "genius".
But even the very best need a hand sometimes and Molinari turned to coach Andy Paisley, brother of 2018 South African Open champion Chris, to help with his putting.
The work looks to be bearing fruit, with a stunning round of 64 moving Molinari to nine under heading into the final day, and he was delighted to find his touch with the short stick to go with a tee to green game which he believes is as good as his very best.
“I’ve known Chris for a long time, I’ve been helping him and a few of the other guys with their stats, and I noticed all the guys working with his brother Andy were improving their putting stats,” he said.
“I had been putting so poorly lately, I had been on my own trying to do each thing differently every week and I felt like I needed a little bit more structure and definitely some help.
“If a ten handicap (player) putted from the beginning of the season instead of me, I think I would be doing better.
Not my day today but enjoyed a front row seat watching an easy 64... Could've been better but @DodoMolinari 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/7rvgtsVygq
— Ross Fisher (@RossFisher) May 14, 2021
“I didn’t putt great the first two days to be honest, I still lost quite a few shots on the greens, but the feeling of the putter and the putts I was hitting were much better. Today the front nine was really good. I missed a few on the back nine but you can’t make them all.
“I’ve hit the ball, from the middle of 2019 onwards, as good as my Ryder Cup years, but my putting hasn’t been cooperating.
“If I can find something on the greens I think my ball striking right now is the best its ever been. It’s a very big confidence boost especially, when you play tough courses like this one.”
