Weekly Tour Wrap Up: Wins for Molinari & Fowler

Molinari and Fowler get first wins of year on European, PGA Tours

Even though both Francesco Molinari and Rickie Fowler won on Sunday, the way they did it could not have been more different.

Molinari Wins Reale Seguros Open de España

Molinari started the day four shots behind leader Simon Dyson at the European Tour’s Reale Seguros Open de España, and was struggling in the windy and rainy conditions at the course over the first three days of the event.  However, with conditions a bit better on Sunday Molinari came out on fire with three birdies over his first five holes. 

Dyson also started off strong with two birdies of his own on the first two holes, but then began to falter as the round progressed, making three bogeys over a four hole stretch from 5 through 8. 

After shooting a 32 on the front nine, Molinari showed that he is still one of the top golfers in the world today with three more birdies on the back nine to post a fantastic seven under 65 to win the title by three strokes.  It was Francesco’s third career win on the European Tour and first of 2012.

Play Off Win for Fowler at Wells Fargo

While Molinari cruised to an easy victory over in Europe, Rickie Fowler had a bit more difficult of a time in getting his win at the Well Fargo Championship. 

Fowler also started the day behind the leaders and got off to a slow start with a bogey on his second hole.  However, Rickie was able to turns things around starting on the fifth hole where he made his first birdie.  He then proceeded to make five more birdies along with two bogeys to finish with a 69. 

Fowler went into the clubhouse one shot behind Rory McIlroy and D.A. Points for the lead, but caught a break when both players made bogey as they finished their rounds to go to a three way playoff.  

All three players hit good tee shots on the first playoff hole, but it was Fowler who came up big with a 130 yard wedge shot that landed five feet from the hole.  He went on to make birdie as McIlroy and Points could not match him, thus giving Fowler the victory. 

It was his first career victory on the PGA Tour and moved him into the top 25 in the world golf rankings, while McIlroy’s finished helped to propel him past Luke Donald to reach number one in the world again.