Golf: Molinari aims 'to become No. 1'

(ANSA) - Rome, March 12 - Champion Francesco "Chicco" Molinari ranks seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, up three spots after a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
    And he is now aiming for the top.
    Franco Chimenti, president of the Italian Golf Federation, says he is sure that "he will soon become number one".
    Giovanni Malago', the president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), says he has no words left to praise the golfer's achievements: "I don't have any more words to celebrate his strength".
    "Chicco is increasingly a first-rate star in golf", he added.
    "America too is at his feet - the US press is crowning the Italian".
    Golf Channel, a very important broadcaster for golf, calls him a "clutch player".
    The broadcaster said the 36-year-old is continuing to play "the best golf of his career", proving he can always win.
    His rivals have also praised him.
    Tommy Fleetwood, a friend and a protagonist of the European success in the Ryder Cup together with the champion of the Race to Dubai, said Molinari is "extremely strong" and he must try to keep up with him.
    Meanwhile Molinari's fandom is growing in Italy and abroad.
    Inter Milan, one of Molinari's great passions, are celebrating the golfer.
    The Ryder Cup winner is in fact the protagonist of the fifth episode of "Welcome to", the digital format of the football club in which the first Italian golfer to conquer a Major (the 2018 Open Championship) talks about his connection to the club "despite having a family of Juventus fans".
    Molinari in Florida also conquered a prize worth over 1.6 million dollars in a competition honoring the late Arnold Palmer, a golf champion who died in 2016.
    "I hope he is proud of me", he said.
    Molinari thanked his wife Valentina saying he also owed his victory to her.
    The champion who has always put his family first surprised once again in Orlando, surging up the field from 17th place to claim victory with an 8-under 64 in the final round. He cheered raising his first, like his myth Tiger Woods.
    Indeed Molinari is on fire and has scored four wins in the last 17 tournaments, going from 151st position to 20th in the FedEx Cup.
    Moreover, he has debuted with his new sponsor, the California-based giant "Callaway".
    Overall, Molinari proved that his victories in 2018 (the Open Championship, Wentworth, Quicken Loans, five out of five tournaments in the Ryder Cup and the Race to Dubai) were not a coincidence.
    And now the Italian golfer, who has said he is "convinced" he can win anywhere, is eyeing the next objective.
    "The Players Championship" is scheduled from Thursday to Sunday (March 14-17) in Ponte Vedra Beach (Florida), at TPC Sawgrass.
    The PGA Tour event is worth 12.5 million dollars and most élite players will be competing.
    Molinari will be seeking yet another achievement in his already brilliant career.