Francesco Molinari holds off Lee Westwood to ensure Shanghai win
Lee Westwood consolidated his position as world No. 1 with a fine performance in Shanghai yesterday that saw him increase his points total over challengers Tiger Woods, Martin Kaymer and Phil Mickelson - even if he couldn't quite overhaul winner Francesco Molinari.
Molinari has already enjoyed success in China, taking the World Cup at Mission Hills last year in partnership with his brother Edoardo, and the 28-year-old was a wire-to-wire winner at Sheshan International yesterday, leading Westwood by a solitary stroke from first day to the last.
The Italian finished 19-under-par at the WGC HSBC Champions, coming home five-under-par 67 on Sunday - the same score Westwood produced. In fact, the pair couldn't be separated over three of the tournament’s four days, Molinari stealing ahead on the very first day when he finished seven-under 65, while the Englishman could only finish six-under.
Molinari had shown some hint of frailty on Saturday, carding a couple of bogeys - only to eagle the next hole, before birdying the 18th to restore his one shot lead.
The pair matched each other yesterday virtually shot for shot at times, each man recording five birdies - three of which came on the same holes for both men.
Not that Westwood will be wholly disappointed. Although he has been criticised for his inability to close out a tournament, in Molinari he was facing a hugely determined rival yesterday, while the 37-year-old was making his first appearance since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, following time off to rest a troublesome calf injury.
The pair's closest challengers finished some 10 strokes behind the victor, Scotland's Richie Ramsay tying with England's Luke Donald on nine-under to claim third place, while Rory McIlroy was fifth on eight-under.
Of the men seeking to wrestle the world No. 1 spot away from Westwood, Tiger Woods fared best, the former top dog finishing seven-under with a final round of 68. Another contender, current world No. 3 Martin Kaymer finished in a tie for 30th place on two-under, while Phil Mickelson was tied for 41st place on one-over. Mickelson's game unravelled on Saturday, when the 40-year-old came home four-over-par in a round that included six bogeys.
For Molinari, the victory is the Italian's second on the European Tour, but the Italian was quick to pay tribute to the rival who snapped at his heels throughout the entire tournament.
"I'm obviously amazed with the way I played and, you know, to have the number one player in the world trailing you by one shot, it's not easy.
"In a sense I feel for Lee because he probably deserved to win the tournament as well. I’ve been in his position a few times so I know it’s not easy, but finally it was my time."
Perhaps so, but this performance would suggest that it's Westwood's time, too. After retaining the world No. 1 spot in a field featuring most of golf's elite players, the Worksop-born player may be frustrated to miss out on victory - but he will surely be elated to finish so far ahead of his chief rivals.
If he can do that in a major next year, Westwood will unquestionably prove he is worthy of his world No. 1 status.
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