Italy win World Cup

Italy won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup by one shot from Ireland and Sweden today as brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari carded a four-under-par 68 in today’s final-round foursomes.

Younger brother Francesco crucially holed three consecutive birdie putts on the back nine before European Tour Challenge Tour number one Edoardo tapped home at the last to follow up last week’s win in Japan as Italy won a first World Cup at 29-under-par.

Irish duo Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell had stretched their overnight lead to three shots on the front nine, but failed to pick up a shot on the way home and a final-round two under 70 was not enough to secure the wire-to-wire victory.

Sweden produced a gallant attempt to defend their title as world number seven Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, who was beaten in a play-off by Edoardo last week in Japan, carded a final round three-under-par 69.

England finished fourth at 26-under-par as an impressive bogey-free eight under 64 came just too late for Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher.

Hiroyuki Fujita and Ryuji Imada claimed fifth for Japan, a further four shots back, after a 69, with Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby earning sixth for Australia.

South Africa, Wales, YE Yang’s Korea, Martin Kaymer’s Germany and USA, who shot a brilliant bogey-free final round 10-under-par 62, rounded out the top 10 at 20-under-par.

Spain ended a disastrous week with a two over 74 as world number eight Sergio Garcia and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano finished at just seven-under-par overall with Scotland propping up the table a further three shots adrift.

Francesco Molinari, who claimed seven top-10 finishes this season, was delighted with the manner of Italy's victory.

“It’s been a tough day and we have been playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It was really tough until the last, but it feels even better when it is like that,” he said.

“It’s really great for Italy. I think we deserved it as we attacked from the first day with every putt and every shot and we tried to make as many birdies as possible.

“I was lucky to hole two big putts on 12 and 13 which were probably the key moment and we just had to hang in there and hope for the best.”

On a glorious final day at Mission Hills Golf Club, Ireland had temporarily stretched their lead to three towards the end of the back nine following four consecutive birdies, but, after a second bogey of the day at eight, McIlroy and McDowell held a two-shot lead over Sweden and Italy at the turn.

Sweden, playing in the group ahead of Ireland and Italy, then trimmed the lead to one before McIlroy missed a two-foot par putt at 10 as Ireland suddenly slipped into a three-way tie for the lead.

And after moving alongside Ireland and Sweden with a birdie at 11, Francesco Molinari holed a mammoth 30-foot putt at 12 to push Italy into a one-shot lead.

The advantage was soon stretched to two with five to play as younger brother Francesco added a third consecutive birdie a hole later as McDowell missed an eight-foot birdie putt for Ireland.

Sweden ended a run of three straight pars with a fifth birdie of the day at 15 to trim Italy’s lead to one before Ireland’s first gain of the back nine arrived at the 15th as they joined Sweden at 28 under, with Italy unable take advantage of the lucrative signature hole.

And with Sweden unable to make any gains over their last three holes, Stenson agonisingly seeing a long birdie putt at last roll around the cup, Italy headed up the 18th with a one-shot lead as McIlroy held his nerve to convert a six foot par putt at 17.

But with Ireland safely on the green at the last, Edoardo Molinari pushed his approach from the rough into the greenside bunker.

But brother Francesco chipped out to within three feet and, after McDowell agonisingly left a birdie putt, which would have earned a three-way play-off, inches short, Edoardo held his nerve to seal a memorable win.