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Edoardo Molinari wins again; picked for Ryder Cup

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08/29/2010 - Perthshire, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hoping to join his brother Francesco on the European Ryder Cup team, Edoardo Molinari put together a stunning finish to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Edoardo fell two strokes behind Brett Rumford, but closed with three straight birdies to come from behind for his second win of the season in Scotland.

He shot a one-under 71 to finish at 10-under-par 278. Edoardo, who also won the Scottish Open this year, was then selected by captain Colin Montgomerie to play on the European Ryder Cup team alongside his brother.

Rumford birdied the final two holes to card a two-under 70. He took second place at minus-nine.

Francesco Molinari, the third-round leader, struggled to a three-over 75 to slide into a share of third place at seven-under-par 281. He ended alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez (72) and Jamie Donaldson (69).

Simon Dyson finished in sixth at minus-six after a closing with a 74.

The Molinari brothers were fighting for the lead most of the round. Edoardo fell one behind at the 14th when his approach plugged in a bunker and he blasted across the green. Edoardo two-putted for bogey to fall one behind Francesco and Jimenez.

Jimenez had birdied the 16th to get to eight-under, but cost himself dearly at 17. The Spaniard missed the green at the par-three, then left his par putt within a foot of the hole. He went to brush in the bogey effort, but missed the putt and walked off with a double-bogey.

Two groups later, Rumford made his move. After carding a single birdie and a lone bogey through 16 holes, the Australian rolled in back-to-back birdies from the 17th to take the lead at minus-nine.

The Molinaris were the only ones with reasonable chances to catch Rumford. Edoardo two-putted for birdie on the 16th, while Francesco got up and down for birdie. They both moved to minus-eight with their birdies on 16.

"I knew I had to do two birdies on the last three at least to tie him and I had a big putt on 16. I think that was very important," said Edoardo.

Edoardo followed with a long birdie effort on 17 to join Rumford in the lead at nine-under. At the last, Edoardo came up short with his second at the par- five. He chipped within a foot and kicked that in for the win.

"Playing the last, I played a nice second shot, and made a great chip, again," Edoardo stated.

With the victory, Edoardo became the first player to win two events in Scotland in the same season and became the seventh player with multiple wins this year.

Francesco parred 17, but took himself out of the picture at the last. His second landed in deep grass about 40 yards short of the green. He took an unplayable lie penalty and chipped his fourth onto the green. Francesco two- putted for a closing bogey to slide into a share of third place.

Early on, Francesco and Edoardo posted matching birdies on the second and bogeys on the third. Edoardo gained a piece of the lead with a birdie on the sixth.

Francesco faltered to three straight bogeys from the seventh to slide to minus-seven, but was only one shot back as Edoardo bogeyed eight and nine as well.

Around the turn, Francesco went birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie from the 12th. Edoardo managed his late rally after making bogey on 14.

NOTES: Nine players automatically qualified for the European Ryder Cup team -- Lee Westwood, Jimenez, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Ross Fisher, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari and Peter Hanson...Edoardo Molinari, Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald were Colin Montgomerie's captain's picks...Peter Hedblom, the 2009 champion, finished at minus-one after stumbling to a six-over 78 in the final round.