I WAS SCARED TO GO TO BED IN CASE I WOKE UP AND IT WAS ALL A DREAM!

Molinari still can’t believe the Claret Jug is his.. now he just has to convince his children

OPEN champion Francesco Molinari admits he did not want to sleep on Sunday night — in case his Carnoustie heroics turned out to be merely a dream.

The Italian says he only got three hours’ kip because he lay in bed staring at the Claret Jug in disbelief.

Yesterday he ref lected on holding off Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tiger Woods (right) and Jordan Spieth in a rollercoaster aster final round, and said he is refusing using to let the famous trophy out of f his sight after achieving his lifetime me ambition.

The popular star has vowed to carry on his run of good form to the Ryder Cup in September, when he will spearhead the European team as a newly- crowned Major winner.

After posting his mistake-free ee winning round at the famous ous Scottish course, Molinari said: “Waking up with the Claret Jug on my bedside table was amazing. It’s been a long night, not much sleep – about three hours – after a good night of celebrations.

“It wasn’t too wild. There was a lot of joy, but a lot of tiredness too.

“It was just me, my wife, my caddie, my agent and some friends having a few drinks and telling stories about the week. I’m not a big drinker so there won’t be many tales of alcohol being drunk out of the Claret Jug. “But I didn’t want to go to bed – I just wanted to stay awake as long as possible, looking at the trophy, to make sure it had really happened. It’s not a nice feeling when you let it out of your sight! “And you are afraid you will wake up a and it was all a dream. But thankfully, than it was still there when I woke wok up.” M Molinari won the BMW PGA Championship Cha at Wentworth in May, M and a PGA tour event in the US U at the beginning of this month, underlining his credentials before The Open. He added: “I grew up in Italy dreaming of winning this tournament and the reality is even e better than the dream. “I cannot wait to get back to London Lo to show the Claret Jug to my children and see if they realise just how much this means. If they don’t realise it, I will find a way to let them know how big it is!

“I find it hard to believe the run of results I have experienced because I have never won a lot of times during my career. My win at Wentworth was the kick-start and I played the weekend bogey-free there, just as I did at Carnoustie.

“Then I got my first victory on the other side of the ocean, and nearly did it again the week before I came here. So I knew I was playing great – you just have to hopes it lasts for four more days.

“I was proud that when my chance came I showed the grit and the will to make it happen. I was so proud of the way I handled myself, especially over the last few holes.”

Molinari could “feel the excitement mounting” as playing partner Woods took the lead. He joked: “It was funny that I heard

players like Jordan Spieth saying it would be great to have Tiger involved in a real shootout at the Majors again. I can say the same thing now – but not before. For me it is not something you wish for because it makes things even harder. But I really think he will win more Majors because he is getting better and stronger all the time.”

McIlroy said European players will be”fighting” to partner er their new Major winner at the e Ryder Cup and Molinari said: “I think my win will be a good thing g for the Ryder Cup, and for 2022 022 when it comes to Rome.

“One of the text messages s I had was from Thomas Bjorn (European captain), saying congratulations and keep playing like this until the end of September.’’

■ SCOTTISH teenager Sam Locke is turning pro after he finished as top amateur.