Robert Karlsson survived a nervous finish to warm up in style for next week&aposs Ryder Cup with his first victory for two years in the Mercedes-Benz Championship. And Europe captain Nick Faldo had further reasons to celebrate with fellow team members Miguel Angel Jimenez, Soren Hansen and Graeme McDowell third, eighth and 16th respectively. Jimenez finished with rounds of 68 and 66 on the weekend while defending champion Hansen looks in good shape for the fourballs at Valhalla with 20 birdies and three eagles over the four rounds. Stuart Appleby began the final day in a share of 28th place but couldn&apost bridge the gap despite an impressive 69 to close. His fast finish ensured a top-20 result and the title of leading Australian in the field, but he was some 11 shots from Karlsson. Richard Green (71) was next of the Australians, just one stroke behind Appleby, while Scott Strange (70) shot his best score of the week to move from 62nd place into a tie for 52nd. Karlsson began the final day with a three-stroke lead despite suffering a one-shot penalty after his third round, and carded a closing 71 at Gut Larchenhof for a total of 13-under-par and two-shot victory over Italy&aposs Francesco Molinari. The Swede had been six clear at one stage but Molinari birdied four holes in a row from the 12th and Karlsson bogeyed the 16th to see his lead cut to just two. Molinari then left a birdie putt on the 17th agonisingly short of the hole and missed another birdie chance on the last as Karlsson held his nerve to claim first prize. “Hopefully Nick will be delighted,” Karlsson said after an eighth European Tour title lifted him to second on the Order of Merit. “It was a pretty good result for all of us.” Round Four of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, Cologne, Germany -13: Robert Karlsson 67 69 68 71 -11: Francesco Molinari 71 71 65 70 -9: Michael Campbell 71 70 68 70, Ross Fisher 68 73 68 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez 72 73 68 66 -7: Richard French 66 73 70 72, Jose Manuel Lara 73 69 67 72 -6: Soren Hansen 73 67 73 69, Martin Kaymer 74 70 68 70, Marcel Siem 72 68 72 70 -4: David Dixon 72 71 71 70, Jeev Mikha Singh 73 70 73 68, Marc Warren 72 69 72 71 -3: Peter Hanson 69 69 73 74, Steve Webster 73 72 68 72 -2: Stuart Appleby (Australia) 74 75 68 69, Gregory Havret 73 74 67 72, Mikko Ilonen 72 70 67 77, Soren Kjeldsen 73 70 73 70, Jean-Francois Lucquin 66 71 70 79, Graeme McDowell 72 73 70 71 -1: Richard Green (Australia) 72 72 72 71, Paul Lawrie 70 72 71 74, David Lynn 73 75 69 70 Also: +9: Scott Strange (Australia) 74 74 79 70