When Robert Karlsson steps on to a special flight from Heathrow today, bound for Kentucky and the Ryder Cup, he will do so in fine spirits after his convincing victory yesterday in the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne. The Swede’s timing could not have been bettered.

Karlsson, who will be playing in his second match against the United States, was never headed on the final day, his round of 71 giving him a 13under-par total of 275 and victory by two strokes over Francesco Molinari, of Italy. The £260,000 first prize, plus a luxury car, were merely side issues — although nice ones, nonetheless.

The result was also the perfect fillip for Nick Faldo, the Europe captain, as were the performances of the other three members of his team playing in Germany. Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who had rounds of 68 and 66 over the weekend, finished joint third, four shots off the lead, while Søren Hansen and Graeme McDowell finished eighth and sixteenth respectively.

This was Karlsson’s first win since the 2006 Deutsche Bank Championship, but it was a victory that he has been threatening for most of the season. He has finished runner-up twice this year, and third three times, and has been particularly impressive in the most intimidating arenas — with three top-ten finishes in the major championships.

At 38, Karlsson has eight victories to his name on the European Tour and will be taking plenty of experience with him to Valhalla. If he has a weakness, however, it is his tendency to get off to a good start and then struggle to cross the finishing line. And that is how matters started to unfold midway through the back nine at the Gut Lärchenhof course yesterday.

Leading Molinari by five shots at the turn, Karlsson could do little about the Italian’s run of four birdies in succession from the 12th, many courtesy of some stunning putting, and when the Swede bogeyed the 16th, the gap had been cut to two.

Molinari still had to make the running, however, and Karlsson was able to wrap up the title with pars at each of the last two holes.

Afterwards, Karlsson admitted that the pressure he had come under should hold him in good stead for what lies ahead. “When it happens, you have got to rise above it,” he said. “But it wasn’t easy when he [Molinari] was holing putts of 40 feet or so. It was a great relief to do it because it would have felt strange not to walk off with a win this season because I’ve played so well.”

Hansen’s week was one of the more extraordinary and augurs well for the matchplay version of the game that will be facing him from Friday onwards. He never quite got into the defence of a title he had won so well in 2007, but his return of 20 birdies and three eagles, in finishing on six under par, was nothing short of remarkable. Such scoring might not be suitable for the alternate-shot foursomes format, but in the four-balls, the Dane could be a mighty weapon in Faldo’s armoury. He was right to feel pleased.

McDowell, who finished on two under par after a round of 71, used the week to talk to his team-mates and seek advice from previous members of the Ryder Cup team, among them Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

“It has been hard the last few weeks to think about anything else but the Ryder Cup,” the Northern Irishman said. “But I feel as though I am taking my game out there pretty much intact so there is nothing really to worry about.

“I played with Miguel on Thursday and Saturday and really I was just trying to find out what to expect. There’s going to be a lot going on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but the general consensus was to make time to get in practice — to make sure I prepare the way I always prepare for a tournament.

“Getting drawn to play with Miguel was cool and he played unbelievably well when I played with him. We joked that we might get a game of foursomes together because our games seem to be quite suited.” No doubt Faldo would have been watching with interest. All will soon be revealed.

Leading final scores

Great Britain and Ireland unless stated 275: R Karlsson (Swe) 67, 69, 68, 71. 277: F Molinari (It) 71, 71, 65, 70. 279: R Fisher 68, 73, 68, 70; M Campbell (NZ) 71, 70, 68, 70; M Á Jiménez (Sp) 72, 73, 68, 66. 281: R Finch 66, 73, 70, 72; J M Lara (Sp) 73, 69, 67, 72. 282: S Hansen (Den) 73, 67, 73, 69; M Siem (Ger) 72, 68, 72, 70; M Kaymer (Ger) 74, 70, 68, 70. 284: J M Singh (India) 73, 70, 73, 68; M Warren 72, 69, 72, 71; D Dixon 72, 71, 71, 70. 285: P Hanson (Swe) 69, 69, 73, 74; S Webster 73, 72, 68, 72. 286: M Ilonen (Fin) 72, 70, 67, 77; G McDowell 72, 73, 70, 71; S Kjeldsen (Den) 73, 70, 73, 70; J-F Lucquin (Fr) 66, 71, 70, 79; G Havret (Fr) 73, 74, 67, 72; S Appleby (Aus) 74, 75, 68, 69. 287: Paul Lawrie 70, 72, 71, 74; R Green (Aus) 72, 72, 72, 71; D Lynn 73, 75, 69, 70. 288: G Bourdy (Fr) 76, 72, 71, 69; P Hedblom (Swe) 73, 70, 72, 73; D Clarke 76, 74, 69, 69; G Fernández-Castaño (Sp) 80, 66, 73, 69. 289: A Noren (Swe) 71, 71, 72, 75; M Brier (Austria) 72, 74, 72, 71; C Nirat (Thai) 70, 76, 71, 72; J Edfors (Swe) 74, 67, 73, 75. 290: M Lafeber (Neth) 71, 77, 72, 70; R Sterne (SA) 70, 73, 70, 77.