Francesco Molinari deputy European captain at Ryder Cup 2025
The captain of Ryder Cup Team Europe, England’s Luke Donald, has named vice captain Francesco Molinari for the challenge to the U.S. team, to be held Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
The 42-year-old from Turin, who holds a degree in business administration, has played in and won three Ryder Cups in 2010, 2012 (in the U.S., he tied with Tiger Woods in the singles match) and 2018, respectively, when, in Paris, he became the first continental player to prevail in all five matches played, thus setting a new (unbeatable) European record. Francesco has written many notable pages in the history of national golf, and in 2018 he became the first Italian to win a Major (The Open at Carnoustie, Scotland). In his year to remember, he won the BMW PGA Championship (in Wentworth, England) and the Race To Dubai (order of merit) on the DP World Tour, receiving for his achievements first the Collare d’Oro (Italian sport’s highest honor) and then the World Sport Star of the Year award at the UK Sports Personality of The Year Awards. His palmares includes six successes on the European circuit, including majors, and two on the PGA Tour, net of the majors themselves. As well as one World Cup (2009 with his brother Edward in China).
“I am happy,” said the Turin native, “to return to Team Europe also to work with Donald, an intelligent and prepared person with whom it is easy to get along. It is great to see how much effort he is putting into the role and I look forward to offering my contribution to the team. It will be a great challenge at Bethpage. You only have to look at the statistics to see how difficult it is to win the Ryder Cup away from home, but it is also a great opportunity because, should it happen, the success will be remembered for a long time”.
“I am happy to have Francis back on the vice-captains– staff, Donald commented instead. “In Rome he did an important job and to be able to count on him and his great experience means so much to me. Also, he knows how to win this match. He is very calm, listens carefully, has good ideas and knows how to be heard when necessary”.
