Got Milkha? Singh snatches Scottish Open and packs his bags for Lytham

Jeev Milkha Singh booked a last minute spot at next week's Open Championship with a playoff victory over Francesco Molinari at the Scottish Open.

The 40-year-old from India carded a superb final round 67 to lead in the clubhouse at 17-under and had to wait more than an hour to learn if it was enough for extra holes.

And it didn't look like it would be at one stage as Marc Warren, being cheered on by the home fans at Castle Stuart, was cruising to victory.

But four dropped shots at 15, 16, and 17 left the Scot in a tie for third with Swede Alex Noren - himself in contention for much of the day.

Molinari then required a 20-footer to drop at the last, which it duly did, and it was back to the 18th tee.

The playoff lasted just a single hole as birdie was enough for Singh to take the £470,000 winner's cheque and deny Molinari the chance to add his name to the title his brother Edoardo won two years ago.

But it is the heartbreak for Warren which will feel worse. The 31-year-old has now failed to qualify for the Open Championship on ten occasions.

“I might need a little help to get to sleep tonight,” said the World Cup winner. “It's going to be disappointing watching the Open. I had it in my hands.”

The win is Singh's fourth on the European Tour, having taken the China Open and Volvo Masters in 2006 before adding the Austrian Open two years later.

His best major finish is a tie for ninth at the 2008 PGA Championship. He's played in just one Open Championship in 2007 at Carnoustie - where he missed the cut.

Scottish Open Final Leaderboard

-17 F Molinari (Ita), JM Singh (Ind)*
-16 A Noren (Swe), M Warren (Sco)
-15 M Baldwin (Eng), T Levet (Fra), S Kjeldsen (Den)
-14 P Price (Wal), H Stenson (Swe), P Whiteford (Sco)

*Singh won at first extra hole

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