Alex Noren captured last year’s Nordea Scandinavian Masters by a comprehensive seven shots. Here, in an excerpt from The European Tour Yearbook 2012, we recap how the Swede claimed his second European Tour title of the 2011 season in Sweden.
Alex Noren is certainly a player comfortable winning from the front as he proved with his success on home soil in the Nordea Masters at Bro Hof Slott – the third time he has triumphed on The European Tour International Schedule having taken a lead into the final day.
But while his win in the 2009 Omega European Masters and in June’s Saab Wales Open saw him capitalise on third round leads of two and one shot respectively, this was an advantage of entirely different proportions.
A stunning course record 63 in the third round, allied to his opening salvos of 67-66, gave the 29 year old from Stockholm a 20 under par aggregate of 196 and a whopping 11 shot lead over his nearest pursuer, American Bubba Watson.
It was the joint second highest third round lead in European Tour history, tieing Ken Brown’s 11 shot figure in the Glasgow Open at Haggs Castle in 1984, and only two shots adrift of the eye-watering 13 shot advantage Retief Goosen took into the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic at Lake Karrinyup in 2002.
Both men went on to triumph and it was no surprise, therefore, that Noren followed suit although it was by no means plain sailing on a final day made tough by such treacherous winds that only one player – second placed Richard Finch – managed to break the par of 72.
The Englishman’s 69 gave him an eight under par total of 280 while Noren closed with a 77 for a 15 under par total of 273.
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.
