The Italian is on the four-person shortlist for the BBC's World Sport Star of the Year award
Francesco Molinari Nominated For BBC World Sport Star Award
Francesco Molinari has been nominated for the BBC's World Sports Star of the Year award, a new addition to this year's Sports Personality of the Year awards.
The award was previously named Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and this time around votes can be cast from outside of the UK.
The Italian, who lives in London and practises at The Wisley, is one of the four nominees, along with American gymnast Simone Biles, Ukranian boxer Oleksandr Usyk and Czech skier/snowboarder Ester Ledecka.
Molinari had the season of his life in 2018, winning three times including his first major plus putting in a record-breaking Ryder Cup performance.
The 36-year-old got his first win of the season at the European Tour's flagship event - the BMW PGA Championship - where he duelled and beat Rory McIlroy to win his fifth European Tour title.
Molinari then finished 2nd at the Italian Open the following week before winning his maiden PGA Tour title at the Quicken Loans National by an incredible eight strokes.
He was just getting started, however, as he would go on to lift the Claret Jug and his maiden Major title at Carnoustie where he went bogey-free for the final 36 holes to beat the likes of playing partner Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele.
Molinari wasn't finished there and put in one of the all-time great Ryder Cup performances, going 5-0, becoming the first ever European to achieve that feat.
He and partner Tommy Fleetwood, now known as 'Moliwood', won all four of their matches and the Italian also won his singles match on Sunday vs Phil Mickelson to clinch the winning point.
The Open champion would also go on to win the Race to Dubai title to be crowned Europe's number one.
Molinari reached a career-high of 5th in the world in 2018 and has now firmly cemented himself as the greatest Italian golfer of all time.
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