Molinari to play in Arizona

Italian Francesco Molinari has confirmed that he will be playing next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona after his wife Valentina gave birth to their first child two weekends ago.

The top 64 in the world are all set to play at the moment, leaving former winner Henrik Stenson as first reserve after he was pushed down the rankings by Dane Anders Hansen’s second-place finish in Dubai on Sunday.

The event, won by Ian Poulter 12 months ago, is the first of this season’s World Golf Championships.

Molinari won the final one of last season in Shanghai in November, pushing world number one Lee Westwood into the runner-up spot.