Molinari wins, Fisher Jnr inside top 10

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Edoardo Molinari
  • Post published:April 16, 2017

Edoardo Molinari clinched his first European Tour title since 2010 as he beat overnight leader Paul Dunne in a play-off at the Trophée Hassan II.

The 36 year old finished his fourth round with an eagle at the 18th to snatch the outright lead but Dunne held his nerve to card a birdie at the last to get to nine under and take the contest to a play-off.

But with Dunne unable to convert his six-foot par putt at the first extra hole, Molinari rolled in from two feet to claim his third European Tour victory.

Englishman Paul Waring was alone in third on eight under after carding four birdies and a bogey in his final-round 70.

Molinari began the day four shots behind leader Dunne and lost further ground on the Irishman when he carded a bogey at the first.

Back-to-back birdies at the second and third took the Italian to five under but he dropped another shot at the next before parring the last five holes of his front nine to reach the turn in 36.

Molinari made a stunning start to the back nine, notching a birdie at the 12th before calmly rolling in his tricky eagle putt at the 12th to get to seven under and take a share of second place.

Another bogey at the 16th left him three shots adrift of Dunne with two holes remaining but he curled in his birdie putt from close range at the 17th before firing an eagle from 20 feet at the last to take the outright lead.

Dunne also reached the turn in 36 after mixing two birdies with two bogeys on his front nine.

He extended his lead to two shots with a birdie from four feet at the long tenth but dropped his third shot of the day at the next.

The 24 year old made a gain at the 15th to return to nine under before missing his par putt at the 16th.

But with the pressure on, Dunne notched a birdie from five feet at the last to force a play-off.

With neither player on the green after three shots at the first extra hole, Dunne sent his bunker shot to within six feet of the cup, while Molinari putted to two feet from just off the green.

After Dunne missed his par putt, Molinari holed from close range to secure the trophy.

From a South African perspective, Trevor Fisher Jnr secured a top 10 after final round 73.

The round of the day belonged to Haydn Porteous who shot 68 to move up 33 places and well inside the top 20.