Italian Open: Thorbjorn Olesen wins by one from Francesco Molinari

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Thorbjorn Olesen on the final day at the Italian OpenImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Thorbjorn Olesen dropped only one shot in the final 36 holes

Italian Open final leaderboard

-22 T Olesen (Den); -21 F Molinari (It); -20 L Slattery (Eng); -18 R Cabrera Bello (Spa); -17 L Westwood (Eng), G McDowell (NI), A Sullivan (Eng)

Selected others: -16 I Poulter (Eng), D Willett (Eng); -15 MA Jimenez (Spa); -12 T Fleetwood (Eng); -10 P Harrington (Ire)

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen won a fifth European Tour title with a one-shot victory at the Italian Open in Brescia.

The 28-year-old world number 129 began the final day one shot off the lead but carded seven birdies in a bogey-free 64 to finish on 22 under.

Italian Francesco Molinari, winner last week at the PGA at Wentworth, started the round level with Olesen and birdied the last for a 65 to finish second.

Overnight leader Lee Slattery was third after a closing 67.

Slattery's caddie had to retire through injury on the back nine but the world number 340 had an eagle at the 15th before a putt on the final green to reach 21 under slid past the cup.

Molinari, twice an Italian Open champion, had four successive birdies from the 13th and was tied for the lead when he sent his chip from the rough into a bunker at the 17th to drop only his second shot of the tournament.

However, he holed a huge putt up the hill on the final green to tumultuous cheers from the Gardagolf Country Club gallery, setting a target of 21 under.

Olesen, runner-up in 2011, put his second shot in a greenside bunker but calmly holed from seven feet to take the title.

Former world number one Lee Westwood produced the joint lowest round of the day with six birdies and an eagle in a 63 to take a share of fifth with Graeme McDowell and Andy Sullivan.

Northern Ireland's McDowell had five birdies in six holes on the back nine in his 64.

Veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez, the colourful 54-year-old Spaniard, also had a 63, compiling nine birdies to earn a share of 14th.

Image source, @ThomasBjorngolf
Image caption,

Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was quick to congratulate his compatriot

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