Edoardo Molinari thrilled to end winless drought

Edoardo Molinari described his first European Tour victory since 2010 as a ‘great reward’ for the struggles he has endured in recent years. 

The Italian edged out 54-hole leader Paul Dunne at the first extra hole of a play-off to snap a winless drought stretching back to the 2010 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, a win that saw him earn a wild card for that year’s Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.

However, since then, the 36-year-old has been beset by a succession of injuries which, coupled with a loss of form, have seen him visit Qualifying School in each of the last two seasons. 

It just shows that you should never give up, you should always keep trying, keep working hard.

“I’ve been through some very hard times with injuries and bad form, so to be able to win this week is fantastic and deletes a lot of bad memories,” said Molinari. “Hopefully I can keep going down this road.

“It just shows that you should never give up, you should always keep trying, keep working hard.

“I’ve probably been the player who has spent the most time on the driving range over the last three years. This is a great reward for so much hard work.”

Molinari’s delight was in marked contrast to the disappointment of Irishman Dunne, above, who was left to rue ‘one of those days’.

“I felt like there were just so many shots that slipped away from me,” he said.

“I felt like I was really close to shooting four or five under and stuck with one under in the end. I’m just a bit disappointed not to come out with the result we wanted but it’s a step in the right direction.”