Molinari shades fading McIlroy at Wentworth
LONDON: Italian Franceso Molinari won the PGA Championship title at Wentworth yesterday as Rory McIlroy faded in the final round to miss out on the chance of victory in the European Tour’s flagship tournament for the second time.
The pair started the day level on 13 under par and while Molinari carded a flawless 68 to finish at 17 under, McIlroy’s 70 left him two shots adrift in second place despite birdies at the last two holes.
‘‘It is disappointing,’’ said Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who won the Wentworth tournament in 2014.
‘‘He (Molinari) was like a robot. He doesn’t hit it off line. I would have needed a great round to beat him.’’
McIlroy, fourtimes major champion, wasted a birdie opportunity on the second hole and Molinari birdied the third and fourth to move two clear.
McIlroy dropped shots at the ninth and 10th holes to leave Molinari three ahead and he never looked like losing his lead until the 18th.
He was close to finding water as McIlroy set up an eagle opportunity, but the Italian’s ball came to a rest on the fringe and the world No 32 safely made par to claim the title after finishing runnerup last year.
Molinari (35) continued his fine record at Wentworth, having finished in the top 10 in five of the last six years, and boosted his chances of earning a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team after being on the winning side in 2010 and 2012.
‘‘If I could pick one tournament to win in my career it would be this one,’’ Molinari said.
Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard and defending champion Alex Noren of Sweden finished in a tie for third on 14 under par.
Justin Rose used a blistering start to cruise to his second win of the PGA Tour season with a threeshot victory at the Fort Worth Invitational in Texas yesterday.
The Englishman, who began the day with a fourstroke lead, fired six frontnine birdies on the way to a 6underpar 64 at Colonial Country Club that left him one shot off the tournament record score of 21under 259 set by Zach Johnson in 2010.
With the victory, Rose tied Nick Faldo for the most PGA Tour wins by an Englishman post-World War 2, with nine.
US Open champion Brooks Koepka finished in the runnerup spot after going one better than playing competitor Rose with a 7under 63, while Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo finished in third place, four shots behind Rose.
Australian Minjee Lee celebrated her birthday in style, birdieing the last hole to win the LPGA Tour’s Volvik Championship by one shot yesterday.
Lee fired a closing 4underpar 68 on her 22nd birthday to claim a thrilling victory from South Korea’s InKyung Kim (67) at Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan. — Reuters/ AAP