Sweden’s Alexander Noren returns to home soil this week hoping to reclaim the Nordea Masters title he won so emphatically two years ago.
Noren cruised to a seven shot victory at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Stockholm in 2012, having started the final round with a staggering 11 shot cushion following a course record 63 in round three.
The 30 year old, who was the second consecutive Swedish winner after Richard S Johnson’s victory in 2010, finished tied tenth in his defence of the title last year, when Lee Westwood succeeded him as champion.
After three top ten finishes so far this season, Noren is hoping that a return to a course he knows inside-out can inspire a fourth European Tour title.
“I have played Bro Hoff so many times,” he said. “Before I moved to Monaco, I played it every day in the summer when I was home.
“It’s a bit like the greens at Wentworth last week – if you know where you want to be it makes it a lot easier. It certainly helps to play there a lot. Being from Stockholm, it’s obviously a special event for me too with so many friends and family there.
“I feel like my game is in good shape. Last week, tee to green was among the best I have played. I didn’t take advantage of the birdie chances there and made too many two-putts but I feel good coming into this week.”
Ryder Cup player Peter Hanson will share Noren’s ambition of winning on home soil, having pulled out of last week’s BMW PGA Championship with a back injury.
Hanson, who won his sixth European Tour title in the BMW Masters last November, finished tied third in last year’s Nordea Masters having won the title in 2008 when the event was played at Arlandastad Golf.
Compatriot Nicolas Fasth heads home following tied 12th finish in the BMW PGA Championship last week, while the Swedish challenge is further bolstered by the emerging talent of Kristoffer Broberg, who won four times on the European Challenge Tour in 2012.
Meanwhile, newly crowned BMW PGA Champion Matteo Manassero will also be in the field after his magnificent play-off victory at Wentworth Club on Sunday.
The 20 year old leads The Race to Dubai after becoming the youngest winner of The European Tour’s flagship event, a victory which also gained him exemption into the US Open in a fortnight.
