Alex Noren captured last year’s Wales Open by two shots. Here, in an excerpt from The European Tour Yearbook 2012, we recap how the Swede claimed his first of two European Tour titles in the 2011 season in Newport.
There are many different ways to win a golf tournament. Sometimes it is a moment of magic which sparks the run to the finishing line, sometimes it can simply be solid play which succeeds, and Alex Noren has now exhibited both ends of that particular spectrum in his two European Tour victories.
His first, in the 2009 Omega European Masters in Switzerland, was ignited by a sensational holed bunker shot for an eagle two, four holes from home, which gave him the impetus to go on and beat Welshman Bradley Dredge.
The second came in Dredge’s home country as a supremely consistent display saw him fend off the challenge spearheaded by Frenchman Grégory Bourdy and Anders Hansen of Denmark to stride to victory in the Saab Wales Open.
Played on The Twenty Ten Course which seven months earlier had seen the sensational denouement of The Ryder Cup, it appeared written in the stars that defending champion and Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell, one behind Noren at halfway, would go on to triumph.
However, a third round 81 from the Northern Irishman ended his hopes leaving Noren as the man to catch. Several tried but a final round 70 from the Swede which contained just two birdies and one bogey did the business by two shots.
It completed a dream week for the 28 year old from Stockholm who, on the Monday, came through the 36 hole qualifying tournament at Walton Heath to book his place in the US Open Championship for the first time.
To order your copy of The European Tour Yearbook 2012, a 240-page, full colour hardback Official Publication with iconic pictures by Getty Images and essays from some of the game's top writers that takes you every step of the way through 52 tournaments and 29 destinations on The 2011 Race to Dubai, click here.
