Pettersson claims Memorial prize

Swede Carl Pettersson achieved the biggest win of his golfing life in Ohio tonight – and with it earned himself a place in the coming US Open and next month’s Open.

Seven hours after compatriot Robert Karlsson lifted the Wales Open, Pettersson beat eight of the world’s top 10 to the Memorial title at Muirfield Village. It earned him over a million dollars and takes him, like Karlsson, into the reckoning for a Ryder Cup debut.

Two ahead with a round to go the Gothenburg-born player looked as though he might wobble, but chipped in from the rough at the long 11th to stretch his advantage to three, then made a curling 10-footer for another birdie at the par-five 15th.

A bogey at the last did not matter. With a closing 71 and 12 under par total of 276 Pettersson finished two ahead of American Ryder Cup hopefuls Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich and thus became the first-ever European to capture the event hosted by Jack Nicklaus.

The victory was the 28-year-old’s second on the US Tour in eight months and because of that he does not have to go through 36 holes of US Open qualifying tomorrow.

The Open place at Hoylake is also his because he will move into the world’s top 50 as a result of his performance. He started the week 51st.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson, fourth entering the closing 18 holes, mixed some miraculous shots with several sloppy ones and ended up tied for fourth with Australian Adam Scott and Brandt Jobe.

Jose Maria Olazabal finished 11th and Justin Rose – reinstated on Saturday after being disqualified the night before for walking off the course before play had officially been suspended – joint 14th.