After completing their fourth and final rounds at Le Golf National with an 11-under-par total of 277, the trio headed back to the tricky par-4 18th for the playoff.

Jimenez struck his tee shot down the middle while Molinari found a bunker and Canizares sent his left into the water. After taking a drop, Canizares hit the water  a second time which effectively ended his challenge.

Molinari putted for a one-over-par  bogey,  leaving the 46-year-old  Jimenez to sink his par putt from five meters.

It was the Spaniard's 17th European Tour win and 10th since he reached the age of 40.

It was, though,  a massive reprieve for Jimenez, who beat Lee Westwood in a playoff to land the Dubai Desert Classic in February, as he had earlier blown a two-shot lead going into the last on his fourth round.

He had been in stunning form after the turn, sinking five birdies to head for the 18th tee at 13-under with a two-stroke  lead over Canizares  and Molinari.

A double-bogey,  however, set up the playoff.

Canizares, who had repaired the damage of two double-bogeys at the end of his third round on Saturday with two birdies in the first three holes, then had a chance to snatch it but his birdie putt died just short of the hole.

Molinari gave himself a chance of winning with a round of 67 which included five birdies and an eagle at the par-four 10th.

Overnight leader Martin Kaymer, the defending champion, was also in the mix until a double-bogey at the 15th. He followed that with another double bogey at the tricky 18th to finish seven-under for the tournament in a five-way tie for sixth.
 

In Newtown  Square, Pennsylvania, Justin Rose is going into the final round with another big lead on the PGA Tour.

Rose made some critical par saves in the middle of his round Saturday at Aronimink and wound up with a 3-under 67 to build a four-shot lead over Carl Pettersson (65) and Charlie Wi (70) in the AT&T National.

A week ago at the Travelers Championship, Rose had a three-shot lead going to the last round until he crumbled on the back nine.

Tiger Woods completed another round of 70 as the leaders were finishing lunch. He was tied for 47th and was 13 shots behind, making this the longest drought without winning in six years.
 

In Sylvania, Ohio, Na Yeon Choi had a hole-in-one and shot a 3-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Christina Kim in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Choi, a two-time LPGA Tour winner, aced the eighth hole, dunking a 9-iron directly into the cup on the 131-yard hole. She had a five-stroke lead with five holes to play, but bogeyed the next two holes and missed other opportunities.

Kim made two late birdies for a 67. Katherine Hull (65), Kristin McPherson (67) and Inbee Park (70) were 10 under, four shots behind Choi at Highland Meadows.