To say 2024 has not been a great year for Francesco Molinari would be an understatement.
He’s playing in just his 14th event on the PGA Tour this year but he missed eight cuts in the first 13. His finishes when he did make the cut: T-73, T-54, T-64, T-46, T-59. He was 207th in the FedEx Cup points heading into this week’s stop at Port Royal in Bermuda.
But six birdies in each of the first two days have resulted in scores of 68 and 66 for the Italian at the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. When he walked off the course Friday morning after his second round, he was tied for third.
All in all, a nice bounce-back week for the 2018 Open Championship winner.
Butterfield: Leaderboard | Photos
“It was very consistent. I think iron play in general was very good, I gave myself lots of chances,” he said, describing his second round. “Hit a really good 4-iron on 13 I think it is, yeah, the downhill par 3, to about five feet. It was probably the best shot of the day.”
The last time most golf fans saw Molinari, he was acing the final hole of his round at the U.S. Open, an amazing shot that put him on the cutline to play the weekend at Pinehurst.
Final hole. Par 3. Two strokes above the projected cut.
Then this happened for @F_Molinari!
pic.twitter.com/3R3amEx6E0 — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
This week, Molinari may not need any aces, just more fairways and greens.
