Twenty-three years ago, 12-year-old Francesco Molinari was glued to television at his home in Italy. He and his brother Edoardo watched their idol, Constantino Rocca, attempt to become Italy's first grand champion at the British Open its iconic course, the Old Course in St. Andrews.

Francesco Molinari, British Open 2018 champion - Photo: DR European Tour

Molinari can still remember the moving evening. Rocca birdied 20 yards to force overtime against John Daly, threw his hands up in the air and then let them fall flat on his stomach, pounding the ground with an angry fist.

More than 2 km away, it was euphoria in the Molinari family. « There was such joy when he made this putt »said Molinari. « And then just tears ».

Rocca lost to Daly this Sunday in 1995. Italy, a country that hoped for a first major victory in a sport where success was still awaited.

But almost a quarter of a century later, tears are flowing again in the small seaside town of Carnoustie and certainly in Italy. In this case, however, they had a different flavor. Not that of the usual great disappointment, but rather of unknown jubilation.

It was Francesco Molinari, at 35, who was the country's best prospect and ultimately brought home the coveted major title.

« It's just amazing, I can't believe it », said Molinari, who slammed his last birdie on Carnoustie's devilish par 4 of 18 who kept a cool head to beat Tiger Woods, 14 times major champion whose part he shared and then waited impatiently to see if his total score of 276 (-8) was going to hold up.

The Italian ended up winning with two strokes ahead of the Englishman Justin Rose, the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, and the Americans Kevin Kisner and Xander Sc Chaudele - Molinari then kissed his caddy Pello Iguaran Valle and his trainer Phil Kenyon. He then made his way to the recording room, where he sat on a white sofa, put his head in his hands, and cried. He was surrounded by photos of the last Open champions. Molinari knew that his image would reach them at the Pantheon of golf and that his name would be engraved on the prestigious trophy alongside them.

"Looking at the names on this Claret Jug, of course, what can you say? ", Molinari said. « They are the best golfers in history, and to be here is amazing. »

Most incredible was the fact that Molinari played the last 37 holes of this championship without a bug.

Carnoustie is widely regarded as the toughest test on the Open. Firm and fast fairways. Difficult Greens. Little help from Mother Nature. And low scores, especially on Saturday when 31 players scored in the 60s and threes - ScHotele, Kisner and Jordan Spieth - shared the lead in round 3 with 9 under par. (Woods got in trouble and finished with 66.)

But on Sunday, helped by the strong winds blowing from the west, the beast returned. Six players broke the 70s. The last two groups regrouped to reach 13 over par, including Spieth, the defending champion golfer of the year, who scored 76, his worst closing round, and who failed. did not birdie in the final. Schauffele only managed two birdies.

« We were just in the strangest places possible on the course »said ScHotele, who saw his hopes of winning his first major crushed by a bogey on the penultimate hole caused by a poor second shot just off the gorse.

Spieth found himself in the gorse on the sixth hole of par 5 and made a double bugy after missing a putt by 1 meter. It was one of the few putts missed within 1,5m for the 3-time 24-year-old Major champion.

« Throughout the tour I felt the most comfortable I have felt on a major Sunday in my entire life, actually » said Spieth.

As the leaders struggled, a door remained open for Woods, who led solo in seventh place after ScHotele doubled the 7th hole par 4. Before Sunday, the last time Woods had led in the final round of a major was the Masters 2011. But a double at No. 11 and a boguey at No. 12 ended up putting Woods' 15th big win on standby.

"I did everything I needed to win »said Woods, who managed to climb to 50th in the world and secure his place in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Said McIlroy, whose 14th eagle earned him his fourth straight top 5 in the Open: “For a while I thought Tiger was going to win. My state of mind was to ruin the party. »

Pars on each of his last four holes, however, kept McIlroy from doing so. Most of the 11 other players who led or were in the lead on Sunday also weakened. But Molinari was more than up to the task.

"I knew what was coming, and I was ready for it »said Molinari.

After all, he had faced Woods twice in Ryder Cup singles matches. Woods got the better of him in 2010 at Celtic Manor, although the Europeans beat the Americans by one point that year. Two years later, in Medinah, the United States was again defeated by a point.

Molinari was not going to be impressed by the Tiger effect.

« It was very good energy », said Iguaran. « He was also very focused. I felt really good from the start. … Normally he's really in control of his emotions, and he was today. He was really calm, which was not easy in these conditions. »

11 years ago, Molinari made his major league debut here at Carnoustie. At that time, he was best known as the little brother of Edoardo, the 2005 American Amateur Champion. And he did little this week to change that.

“There was nothing comfortable about this week », said Molinari, who only crossed the cut after scoring 76-74.

In his first nine starts at the British Open, Molinari managed a top-10 with three missed cuts. Not exactly a sparkling record in the oldest golf major.

"If anyone was expecting a breakthrough, they probably weren't expecting me », said Molinari.

But maybe they should have. Molinari arrived at Carnoustie as a 15th ranked golfer in the world but arguably the hottest. He has two wins, including a record-breaking eight-stroke win at Quicken Loans National, and two gold medals in his last four starts.

“He worked really hard to improve every aspect of his putting - technically, the reading of the green, his routine. », said his coach, Phil Kenyon. “He was ready for it today. It's great to see the hard work pay off. »

With his historic victory, Molinari moved to sixth place in the official world golf ranking. He now has seven career wins between PGA and European tournaments. (Rocca has won five times on the European Tour, but never in the United States). Molinari also has a top 10 in majors against Rocca, and has moved up to number one in the European Ryder Cup points ranking. This year's games in Paris are expected to be Molinari's third participation in the Ryder Cup, the same number as Rocca.

Some might call it a classic wonder story ultimately surpassing the icon.

“Fortunately, there were a lot of young children watching TV today, as I watched Constantino in '95 come so close. I hope they will be as inspired as I was back then. »

Surely there is a whole generation of young golfers in Italy who hopes to become the next Francesco Molinari one day. More than 2 km away. In front of their television, tears in their eyes, this time for the coronation of their hero crowned with the 147th British Open.