Molinari returns to European Masters as contender

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CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) -- Edoardo Molinari is returning to the European Masters this week and unlike last year, no one is questioning why he's here.

When Molinari was given a sponsors' invite to play in the 2009 tournament as a relatively unknown Challenge Tour player, there were plenty of questions as to why he was picked ahead of several struggling European Tour golfers who needed prize money to keep their tour cards.

But the 29-year-old Italian finished 14th, which heralded the start of a meteoric rise in the Official World Golf Ranking that culminated in him being selected to Europe's Ryder Cup team for the first time on Sunday.

Molinari insists he is "not too tired" to aim for a second straight victory, after winning last weekend's Johnnie Walker Championship.