Forward of leaping on a aircraft to function a European group vice-captain on the Ryder Cup in New York, Alex Noren claimed his twelfth DP World Tour title as he defeated Adrian Saddier in a play-off to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
The Swede, who famously carded a closing spherical 62 to win this occasion in 2017, began the ultimate spherical in a share of the lead with Saddier as he sought his second victory within the area of simply three weeks after profitable final month’s Betfred British Masters at The Belfry.
The 43-year-old held a one-stroke lead after the entrance 9, however Saddier hit again after the flip as he carded 4 birdies coming dwelling. Noren birdied 12 and 13 and the pair matched one another with good points on the par-five seventeenth as they moved to 19 underneath with one gap to play.
They each made par on the difficult 18th to pressure a play-off, and on the primary additional gap – with the rain pouring down in entrance of a full home – they went blow-for-blow down the left-hand facet of the formidable par 5. Going through difficult chips, Saddier went over the inexperienced and was left with a tough downhill putt, whereas Noren hit his try to a few ft.
Saddier missed his putt on the low facet, with Noren making no mistake along with his birdie effort to seal the victory and transfer forward of Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson to turn out to be the Swede with essentially the most victories in Tour historical past.
Talking simply hours earlier than becoming a member of his European Ryder Cup squad members on a flight to New York, Noren mentioned: “I find it irresistible right here. This event is unbelievable. I informed all the fellows within the States to come back over right here, and plenty of of them did. I feel it’s top-of-the-line tournaments on this planet and it simply will get higher yearly.
He added: “It was such a tricky again 9 in these circumstances – while you’re simply ready for the rain to come back. Adrien performed very properly, and I assumed the leaderboard was type of stacked the entire means right down to 13, 14. It simply saved going.
“You recognize, you’ve simply bought to battle. Typically it comes too straightforward and generally you’ve simply bought to battle and at this time it felt like a battle. I feel he [Saddier] in all probability outplayed me tee-to-green. However that’s the way it goes.”
Aaron Rai and Patrick Reed shared third place on 16 underneath, whereas Ryder Cup trio Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland tied with Ewen Ferguson, Darren Fichardt and Si Woo Kim a shot additional again in a share of fifth.
For all of the scores from Wentworth, click on right here.
