Karlsson closes in on Ryder Cup dream

SEVEN years after being overlooked for a Ryder Cup wild card, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson yesterday took a massive step towards an automatic place in the European team.

Karlsson claimed his second European Tour title in two months at the Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship to move into seventh in the standings with just five weeks remaining before the team is finalised.

The 36-year-old fired a closing 67 for a 25-under-par total of 263 at Gut Kaden and a four-shot victory over playing partner Lee Westwood — who birdied three of the last four holes in his 69 — and 21-year-old South African Charl Schwartzel (65).