After dominating the past two-editions of the Nordea Masters, Sweden’s European Tour contingent return home seeking a hat-trick of victories at Bro Hoff Slott Golf Club this week.
Leading the way will be defending champion Alexander Noren, whose bid to retain his ISPS Handa Wales Open crown last week was cut short by a lower back injury.
With the 22nd edition of the tournament moving from its previous July slot, and being played this week from Wednesday - Saturday in order to allow those players competing in next week's US Open an extra day for the long journey to the west coast of America, Noren has an immediate chance to defend another title, and he will draw on some magical memories from last year.
The 29 year old produced one of the stand-out performances of the 2011 season, winning by a remarkable seven shots from Englishman Richard Finch.
Noren’s third round 63 shaved two strokes off the Bro Hoff Slott course record and gave him an 11 shot margin going into the final round, affording him the luxury of carding a closing 77 for an aggregate of 15 under par 273.
That was the 91st Swedish victory in the history of The European Tour and Noren’s nation is still searching for win number 92.
However, with a strong collection of home-grown players in the field this week, Noren and his compatriots will be looking to continue the impressive Swedish record in the Nordea Masters.
Noren, who succeeded countryman Richard S Johnson as champion, was the fifth Swedish winner of the event, which was also won by Jesper Parnevik in 1995 and 1998 and Joakim Haegmann in 1997.
After finishing tied third at the Masters Tournament, Peter Hanson will hope to make the Nordea Masters his first European Tour win since a victory in the Czech Republic two years ago helped earn him a spot in The 2010 European Ryder Cup Team.
One of his teammates from that contest, Englishman Lee Westwood, will spearhead the international challenge looking to prevent the Swedish hat-trick.
A week before travelling to San Francisco for the season’s second Major, the US Open Championship, Westwood will attempt to capture his 22nd European Tour title, having finished joint runner up in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and tied third in the Masters Tournament.
The World Number Three is joined in the field by Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who will be looking to win his 11th European Tour title and strengthen his Ryder Cup prospects.
