Alex Noren is hoping to capitalise on his consistent form this season and claim a second Nordea Masters title when he returns to home soil and the PGA Sweden National this week.
The 32 year old has enjoyed an impressive start to his 2015 campaign, making the cut in every one of his 11 appearances and claiming three top ten finishes, including coming runner-up behind Rory McIlroy at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January.
It marks a return to the kind of form which earned Noren three European Tour titles in the space of two years from 2009 to 2011, and given the most recent of those victories came at this tournament, it is no wonder the Monaco-based player is feeling confident.
“It's obviously fantastic to win your home tournament,” said Noren. “You know you've got a chance to do it again if you've done it before and I think the field is pretty good this week, there are a lot of good players.
“It's nice to have won it and know you can win it, and I’ll just to try to put some good scores together. I’m pretty confident. My game feels okay. I'm working on a few things – trying to get the chipping and the putting a little stronger. That would be good.”
Noren continued his solid form at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation last week, finishing tied 21st at Royal County Down Golf Club, and he feels that the cold and windy conditions in Northern Ireland were perfect preparation.
“I'm just trying to work on viewing everything in a bigger picture,” he said. “Before, maybe I put too much pressure on some parts of my game.
“This year I've just thought of how to play a round of golf and be a little easier on myself. If I hit a few bad shots, if they end up in an okay place, I don't judge them as hard as I would before. I think that helps, to be kind to yourself.
“After a week like last week, where it was quite tough, it will be nice to go home. I’ll take a little bit of confidence from the Irish Open. That kind of course, that kind of weather, makes you improve so much, and I don't think any course makes you improve as much.
“But the weather looks pretty good for next week, so hopefully I can do something good.”
Noren is joined in Malmö by a plethora of home stars, including World Number Three Henrik Stenson, who has come close to claiming this title on numerous occasions but is yet to add it to his trophy haul.
Stenson’s fellow former European Tour Number One Robert Karlsson is also present and chasing a first Nordea Masters victory, having missed out in a play-off defeat to Marc Warren in 2006, while Peter Hansen, Michael Jonzon and Jonas Blixt will also draw the home crowds to the links-style course in southern Sweden.
