Sensational Singh secures Scottish Open

Singh when you’re winning: Jeev Milkha Singh gets his hands on the Scottish Open trophy at Castle Stuart

Play-off win for Jeev ends four-year title wait after late collapse by Warren

Jeev Milkha Singh won his first title for four years at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open – and, in doing so, he claimed one of the final spots in the field for this week’s Open Championship.

Singh, whose last European Tour victory came in the 2008 Austrian Open, defeated Italy’s Francesco Molinari at the first extra hole of a play-off after the duo finished the tournament at Castle Stuart Golf Links locked on 17-under-par.

When Molinari’s birdie putt at the par-5 18th came up well short, Indian golfer Singh had a 15-foot birdie putt of his own for the championship, which he duly converted to end a long and, at times, desperate search for a fourth European Tour title.

“I would say I’m a very fortunate man,” said the 40-year-old afterwards. “Coming from India I’m not used to links courses but since coming to Europe I’ve played a lot of links courses.

“This victory has given me a lot of confidence and I can build on that. I’m feeling fit and good things are on their way in the future.

“I think God has been kind, and I think the field came back and I put myself in a to go in for a play-off – I’m very fortunate.

“I would like to thank a lot of people who have been by my side the last three, four years that have been a struggle for me with the injuries: My family, my friend who coaches me, Janet, who was on my bag, my sponsors who stood by me; all of these guys have been great and supported me through a tough time and I want to thank them all for this.

“It has been really tough – frustrating than anything else. You feel like your game is coming back and another injury creeps up, but I just stuck myself in there and said that you need to work on the physical side, and I worked hard on that. Everything has paid off, and I just want to think about the good things and not what’s past and I want to look towards the future now.”

Whilst Singh was left to take home the silverware and the winner’s cheque for £470,000 , Scotland’s Marc Warren was left to contemplate what might have been after blowing a three-shot lead with just four holes to play.

The Scot, searching for his first European Tour title since the 2007 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, started the day two shots behind leader Molinari but romped into the outright lead courtesy of five birdies in his opening 12 holes.

At that stage, he looked a sure bet to give Scotland its first home winner of the tournament since Colin Montgomerie’s win at Loch Lomond in 1999. However, a disastrous double-bogey at the 15th derailed his challenge and subsequent dropped shots on 16 and 17 left him needing a birdie at the last to force his way into the play-off. The best he could do, though, was a par and along with his chances of victory, so too disappeared his hopes of playing in this week’s Open.

“I might need a little help to get to sleep tonight,” said a dejected Warren, who ultimately finished tied for third alongside Alexander Noren. “It’s going to be disappointing watching The Open. It was in my hands with four holes to go, it was up to me but I didn’t finish it off.”

Molinari was equally disappointed. The Italian saw elder brother Edoardo take the title at Loch Lomond in 2010 but was unable to add his own name to an illustrious roll call of winners.

“It was a good week, positive,” said the Italian, who has moved into the Ryder Cup reckoning with his runner-up finish.

Scotland’s Peter Whiteford closed with a 72 to post a lucrative top ten finish. He ended the tournament in a share of eighth alongside Henrik Stenson and Phillip Price.

Martin Laird, meanwhile, could manage no better than a disappointing two-over-par 74 in the final round to finish tied for 16th alongside the likes of defending champion and world No.1 Luke Donald, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and American star Phil Mickelson.