The Open Talking Points: Fleetwood cracks, Tiger roars, Molinari wins

What does it all mean for the Ryder Cup?

Tiger Woods, Tommy Fleetwood and Jordan Spieth all threatened to triumph at Carnoustie. But in the end it was quiet Italian Francesco Molinari who lifted the Claret Jug at the 147^th Open Championship.

It was an intriguing, exciting and often bewildering four days’ play in East Scotland, as leaders came and went on the parched Angus fairways. The Coral News Team have rounded up all of the key talking points from the third major of the year below.

Par for the course for Molinari

Italian sport hasn’t enjoyed much success in recent years. The National Team failed to qualify for the World Cup, Ferrari hasn’t won a Constructors Championship since 2008 and the Rugby Union side recently picked up their third wooden spoon in a row in the Six Nations.

So step forward Francesco Molinari to put a smile on Italian faces. The unassuming 35-year-old quietly went about his business at Carnoustie to land a maiden major championship for both himself and his country.

While others faltered on the final day, the Turin native stayed strong. His sixteen pars on Sunday evoking memories of Sir Nick Faldo’s eighteen in a row to land the Open back in 1987. Molinari’s six-under-par 65 on the penultimate day laid the ground work for his win, but it was the Italian’s ability to keep his head while others lost theirs that ultimately told at Carnoustie.

Tiger is roaring again

He came, he saw and for a brief while it looked as though he might actually conquer. But in the end it wasn’t to be for Tiger Woods at Carnoustie – a double bogey on the eleventh ending his chances of a fourth Open Championship.

The 42-year-old got the heart racing with some fabulous play across the four days, in particular his magnificent bunker shot at the tenth on Sunday. It counted for little. On this evidence, though, Tiger’s wait for a first major since 2007 could soon be nearing an end.