Fernandez-Castano claims victory in Italy

17:51, 16 Sep 2012

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano picked up his sixth European Tour victory after he beat off the challenge of Garth Mulroy to win the BMW Italian Open by two shots.

The Spaniard did not drop a shot in the fourth round, while his South African counterpart will rue holes six and 17, where he picked up bogeys.

Fernandez-Castano completed the fourth round eight under par to finish 24 under for the tournament.

"It felt like match play out there and I'm delighted to have come out on top," he told europeantour.com. "It feels very special to win this tournament again.

"I knew it would have to be a low round to win today and so it proved. The putts were going in today."

Ryder Cup pick Nicolas Colsaerts, who briefly held the lead after he holed a four-foot eagle on the fifth, could only par the back nine as his challenge faded leaving the top two to battle it out.

Fernandez-Castano was quick out of the blocks and birdied the first to draw level with the overnight leader, but under par scores in the fourth and fifth put Mulroy back in the driving seat.

The 31-year-old turned the screw and birdied four in a row around the turn and although Mulroy replied with three of his own on 13, 14 and 15 a dropped shot on the penultimate hole put pay to his challenge.

Gregory Bourdy did not drop a shot for his 65 to finish third, alongside Matteo Manassero who hit nine birdies in the final round, with a double bogey on the fourth his only blemish.