Edoardo Molinari appointed as Henrik Stenson's second Ryder Cup vice-captain

Former Scottish Open champion Edoardo Molinari has been named as Henrik Stenson’s second vice captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Molinari will take on the role on home soil when the match is played at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.

He joins Thomas Bjorn, the winning captain in France in 2018, in being appointed by Stenson as Europe try and win the trophy back.

“It is fantastic,” said Molinari, who played on a winning team alongside his brother, Francesco, at Celtic Manor in 2010. “To be able to be a vice captain in this one is a dream come true. It was a very unexpected call from Henrik.

European Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson is flanked by his two vice-captains Thomas Bjorn, left, and the newly-appointed Edoardo Molinari. Picture: Getty Images

“We had chatted a few times about stats and what I could do to help the team, but I never expected this.”

Molinari was handed a captain’s pick for the 2010 match after winning the final counting event - the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. That success came after he’d also won the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond earlier in the year.

He added: “The Italian fans will be loud and passionate at Marco Simone. It is going to be a great week overall and I am very happy that the players will get to experience Rome.”

Stenson, who has been in Rome for the past few days, is delighted to have Molinari on his backroom team.

“I’ve known him for a long time and he is obviously a Ryder Cup player himself,” said the Swede. “He is really into stats and he works with a few of the players who will potentially be on my team.

“I asked him if he would do me the honour of joining the team and he was delighted to. I’m very happy to have him on board and I’m very much looking forward to his input and to lean on his experience. With him being Italian, it is going to be an extra special week for him.

“I envisage Thomas and Edoardo as the working group that I will lean on for the foreseeable future. There will be a lot of healthy discussion and input between us. I’m delighted to have both of them as part of Team Europe.”