Singh defeats Molinari in extra time
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2012 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open | Wrap | 16 Jul 2012
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh has won the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open following a one hole playoff with long time tournament leader Francesco Molinari.
A birdie at the first extra hole was enough to earn Singh not only his fourth European Tour title but a trip to the Open Championship as the leading player inside the top five this week and not already qualified.
Singh’s final round of 67 on a demanding final day and nearly ninety minutes ahead of the final group resulted in a lengthy wait for the 40 year old. As challengers came and went it would be Molinari, who had led or been close to the lead since his opening round of 62, who would join Singh at 17 under at the completion of 72 holes and force the playoff.
A 15 foot birdie putt at the first extra hole (the 18th) by Singh followed a missed attempt from longer range by Molinari and it was all over.
It was Molinari’s second runner-up finish in seven days having finished just behind Marcel Siem in France last week.
Singh earned €518,000 for his effort but the opportunity to now play the Open Championship in the form he is in is another great benefit of the victory.
Alexander Noren, who was playing in the final group with Molinari, bogeyed his final hole to cost himself a chance at the playoff but it would be Scotland’s Marc Warren who would suffer the most agony.
Leading his own national Open by two shots with five holes to play, Warren dropped four shots in the closing four holes to finish one behind in the share of third position. It cost him not only the coveted title but a trip to the Open Championship.
Richard Green finished as the leading Australian in 24th position after having worked himself into a challenging position through 54 holes. Green made a slow start to his round today and never threatened from there.
Marcus Fraser was 47th.
