Molinari wins ahead of a prowling Tiger

Francesco Molinari played a steady hand amid the cheers for Tiger Woods and another crazy ending at Carnoustie to win the British Open and become Italy’s first major champion.

Woods brought pandemonium by charging into the lead yesterday at a major for the first time in nine years, only to lose it with one bad hole. Jordan Spieth cost himself by failing to make a single birdie.

Seven players had a share of the lead at some point. Six were still tied on the back nine.

Through all that, Molinari never flinched.

He closed with a two-under 69, playing the final 37 holes on the toughest links in golf without a bogey.

Molinari won the Claret Jug by two shots from Rory McIlroy

(70), English hope Justin Rose (69) and Americans Xander Schauffele (74) and Kevin Kisner

(74).

Molinari raised his fist and shook it lightly before slamming it for emphasis.

‘‘Just disbelief, to be honest,’’ the 35-year-old said with the gleaming Claret Jug in front of him. ‘‘To go the weekend bogeyfree, it’s unthinkable. Playing with Tiger was another challenge. But I felt really good this morning. I felt I was ready for the challenge."

He finished at eight-under 276, the lowest score in eight Opens at Carnoustie, the course where Jean van de Velde threw away the British Open with a triple bogey on the last hole in 1999, where Padraig Harrington twice hit into Barry Burn on the last hole to make double bogey and still won.

Earlier in the day, Woods had every reason to believe he would cap a most amazing comeback.

He had a one-shot lead until a double bogey on the 11th hole, a bogey on the next.