Francesco Molinari on Tour schedule: "I'm trying to solve the jigsaw"

Francesco Molinari got off to a hot start at the PGA Tour's Safeway Open on Thursday despite claiming he is currently in the midst of "solving the jigsaw" when it comes to golf's new schedule. 

Molinari finished tied 14th in his title defence at last week's BMW PGA and then jetted off to California to compete in this week's Safeway Open where he opened with a solid 6-under 66 to lie one stroke off the pace set by Adam Scott and Andrew Landry.

As a worldwide player applying his trade on both the PGA Tour and European Tour, the 2018 Open champion feels the condensed scheduling has brought about a number of fresh issues for the world's best players.

“It’s about finding a solution of the jigsaw, playing enough events on both tours and I’m playing the Safeway because I want to try and get some FedEx Cup points before January,” said Molinari.

“With the change in the schedule you learn as you go, really. None of us had any previous experience on a schedule this compact and this tight. It’s learning as you go and then trying to do a better job next year.

“One of the issues I find with the schedule and with playing two tours, obviously you don’t want to start in the States in January having not played in any event. I’m trying to fit one or two US events in between now and the end of the year.

“I’ll play this week and then Italy, China, probably Turkey, Dubai, Hong Kong. So I think it’s seven weeks out of 11 coming up.

“I’ve played 15 tournaments so far this year, so I’ve got a third of the season still to go pretty much.”