Maiden title for Molinari as Clarke clinches Open spot
ITALIAN Edoardo Molinari held off the challenge of his brother Francesco and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke to claim his first European Tour title in the Scottish Open.
The 29-year-old limped to a two-shot victory despite a shooting a final-round 74 at a blustery Loch Lomond.
Clarke did even worse, carding a disappointing 76, but his second place ensures the Ryder Cup star of the last remaining place at this week’s Open Championship at St Andrews with Molinari already exempt.
“I didn’t play well enough,” Clarke admitted. “The Open is a consolation prize, but if somebody had said at the start of the week that I would finish second I think I would have taken it.”
Molinari’s victory means he and Francesco are only the third brothers ever to both claim European Tour titles, and after his sibling finished in a tie for fourth, Edoardo says the pair can inspire each other to keep in the winning habit.
“This is very special,” he said. “On Tuesday we were talking about the fact that we had never played well in the same week and finally it’s happened. Now I hope Francesco wins next week.”