Italian golf, the European Tour and the Association of Golf Writers mourn the passing the Maria Pia Gennaro.
Maria Pia was a stalwart of Italian golf working tirelessly as an editor for a number of magazines including Golf Today.
She grew-up with the likes of Franceso and Edorado Molinari, Silvo Grapassoni, Alessandro Tardini, Massimo Scarpa and a younger generation of Italian players being lead by Matteo Manassero.
In fact, Francesco Molinari, Grappassoni and Manassero contribute to the magazine while Francesco posted this tribute on his twitter page to Maria Pia was just 59 years young.
Francesco Molinari @FMolinari 2h
Triste risveglio qui ad Augusta per la notizia della scomparsa di Maria Pia, capace di raccontare il golf come pochi. Un abbraccio a Nick
Translated to English:- Sad awakening here in Augusta for the news of the death of Maria Pia, able to tell the golf like few others. A hug to Nick
And Matteo Manassero posted this tribute:
Matteo Manassero @ManasseroMatteo – ti pensiamo tanto , R.I.P Maria Pia
Translated to English: Thinking of you, R.I.P Maria Pia
Maria Pia became the Association of Golf Writer’s first Italian-born member when elected in 2008 and one of her dear pleasures in becoming a member of the AGW was to attend the Golf Writers Dinner.
Of course, she hardly missed an Italian Open and would regularly attend the European Masters while was present at the BMW PGA Championship and The Open.
However it was in attending the Italian Open that those of us who knew Maria Pia easily realised the respect she commanded not just among the Italian-born players but within the Italian Golf Association and in her dealings with event organisers and sponsors.
Sadly, Maria Pia had been due to attend this year’s Masters. Given her struggle she had not attended Augusta for a few years but successfully sought accreditation for this week.
Matha Wallace, the long-time Press Officer here at the Masters, is holding her Masters media credentials, and with her and her devoted front desk team naturally saddened to learn of her passing.
Golf Today is carrying this wonderful picture of her aside copies of the Claret Jug on the magazines website.
Maria Pia’s funeral is being held on Wednesday in her beloved Milan and those of us here at Augusta will be thinking of her.