The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Newly-married Noren ready for title defence
Working honeymoon for Swede who is enjoying family life
Alex Noren will celebrate his honeymoon by defending his Omega European Masters title as he seeks a seventh European Tour victory in little more than two years.
Noren married his fiancée Jennifer recently and admits the arrival of the couple’s first child early last year was partly responsible for his brilliant run of form.
The 35-year-old’s second Nordea Masters victory in 2015 was his first tournament success for four years, but the Swede claimed four more titles in 2016 and won the BMW PGA Championship in May after a stunning final round of 62 at Wentworth.
“I still love golf but when you have a kid and family you prioritise them more than maybe when you’re single or you have a girlfriend and you can play a lot,” said Noren, who is renowned as one of the game’s hardest workers.
“I was playing maybe too much, practising too much and after a while I could over-practice and get mentally tired. Now I feel more fresh when I get to tournaments.”
Noren has at least chosen a brilliant venue for his working honeymoon, with Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps undoubtedly the most picturesque course on the European Tour.
“This is our honeymoon, it’s beautiful,” the world No 12 added. “Maybe (we’ll have) a real honeymoon later on, but it’s a beautiful place to come to.
“I’ve always liked it here and I think everybody who’s ever played here thinks it’s one of the most beautiful courses and places in the world.
“We have a year-and-a-half-old kid but to get married is special still. I didn’t think it was going to be as special a feeling as it was but we had a great day with all the friends and a few golfers over there.”
Noren will play the first two rounds alongside 1999 champion Lee Westwood and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, with Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood in the same group as 2015 winner Danny Willett and Ross Fisher.
Fleetwood, who has won twice this season but has not played since last month’s US PGA Championship, said: “I’m enjoying being back, I feel like I’m hitting it quite good.
“Three weeks off is not that long a time but in terms of how much time we get off a year, it is. We’ll see how it goes.”
Scots in the field this week are Scott Jamieson, Stephen Gallacher, David Drysdale, Richie Ramsay, Marc Warren, Scott Henry and Duncan Stewart.