Italian golfer Edoardo Molinari talks about ‘scary and annoying’ coronavirus scare

Italian duo Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari overcame being at the centre of a coronavirus scare to join Stephen Gallacher in making strong starts in the Oman Open.

Edoardo Molinari, left, and Lorenzo Gagli chat during the opening round of the Oman Open in Muscat after their late reinstatement. Picture: Warren Little/Getty

ns, writes Martin Dempster.

Gagli and former Scottish Open champion Molinari had both pulled out of the European Tour event in Muscat on medical grounds on Wednesday.

That followed Gagli having been tested for the coronavirus after showing “flu-like symptoms” while room-mate Molinari was moved to another hotel room in Muscat.

However, after Gagli’s tests came back negative, they were both effectively given the all clear to be reinstated and, despite having been replaced in the line up, went out together at the end of the field.

In the circumstances, it was some effort as Gagli got to three-under with a hole to go and Molinari stood on two-under when play was suspended due to darkness.

In a statement on Twitter, Molinari, the older brother of 2018 Open champion Francesco, wrote: “Still shocked by what happened in the last 36 hours. I am absolutely fine and so is my good friend Lorenzo. It was a scary and annoying situation because it is not something that was in our hands and there were no certainties at all.

“The European Tour, the Oman Ministry of Health, the Oman Golf Federation and all their staff did an unbelievable job and they tried everything they could to help us in this awful situation… Thank you all!

“Thank God everything is fine, we are healthy and we are back to playing golf, which even this morning seemed impossible!”

On a day when another Italian, Guidi Migliozzi, set the clubhouse target with a bogey-free 66, Gallacher carded an eagle and six birdies as he opened with a four-under 68 to sit in a tie for fifth spot.

“It was a mixed bag,” said Gallacher the four-time European Tour winner, who finished joint ninth in this event at the same venue in 2018. “But I think the good outweighed the bad. I’m delighted with my start, especially after a three-week lay-off.”

Grant Forrest was next best among the Scots with a two-under 70, which left him sitting in a tie for 25th.