Sparkling Noren storms to European PGA title
WENTWORTH ( England): Sweden’s Alex Noren came from seven shots off the pace in the final round to win the European PGA Championship by two shots.
The 34-year-old produced some stunning golf to go round in 62 – 10-under – for a winning total of 277, 11-under on Sunday.
It is the second time he has shot a 62 – he managed it at the Portuguese Open – and it was his fifth win in the last 11 months following victories at the Scottish Open, European Masters, British Masters and the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2016.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari birdied the last two holes to take second place outright on nine-under after a 68, one shot ahead of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium and Japan’s Hideto Tanihara.
Noren assumed he had slipped out of contention on Saturday when he double-bogeyed the 18th and was not entertaining thoughts of victory.
“I didn’t even think about it,” he said.
“I came off the course angry on Saturday after chipping into the water at the 18th – but I holed so many putts and that gives you so much confidence and everything seems possible.”
His playing partner Peter Uihlein eulogised about the round saying it was the best he had ever seen.
Noren refused to go that far, but admitted: “I putted probably the best I’ve ever putted.”
Colsaerts handed in a 65, including two eagles on the back nine, but was left to rue a double bogey six on the 15th which marred his round.
Noren had four birdies in his outward nine and another four coming home before he holed a 10-foot putt on the par-five 18th for an eagle.
He finished his round two hours before the overnight leaders but no-one in the field managed to come close to threatening him.
He equalled the record for the number of strokes behind a winner of this tournament has come from and now sits alongside Rory McIlroy, in 2014, and Simon Khan, in 2010, who also won from seven behind.
Stenson was full of praise for his compatriot.
“He went out early and played a great round. It must be a lot of good stuff in there to shoot 62, that’s for sure,” said Stenson.