Advertisement

Alex Noren overturns a seven-shot deficit with a stunning final round to win BMW PGA Championship

Alex Noren had a stunning final day to clinch victory: Getty
Alex Noren had a stunning final day to clinch victory: Getty

Sweden's Alex Noren overturned a seven-shot deficit with a stunning final round of 62 to win his fifth European Tour title in 11 months in the BMW PGA Championship.

Noren fired eight birdies and an eagle on the 18th to establish a new course record on the revamped West Course, which underwent a £5million renovation programme immediately after last year's event.

That took the 34-year-old to 11 under par and set a clubhouse target none of the later starters were able to match, Noren having teed off almost two hours before the final group.

Open champion Henrik Stenson, Shane Lowry, Hideto Tanihara, Andrew Dodt and Branden Grace were in a five-way tie on nine under early on the back nine, but faded on the closing stretch to leave Noren to collect the first prize of £894,000.

Italy's Francesco Molinari birdied the final two holes to finish second on nine under, a shot ahead of Stenson, Tanihara and Nicolas Colsaerts, who also eagled the 18th in his 65.

Noren, who won four times in 11 events last season, began the day seven shots off the lead after a double-bogey on the 18th on Saturday, but raced to the turn in 31 and picked up further birdies on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th.

He had saved the best till last, however, rifling a five-iron approach from 204 yards which finished just four feet from the pin to set up a decisive eagle.

Playing partner Peter Uihlein labelled it "the best round of golf I've ever seen" and Noren conceded it "probably" was, adding: "And I putted probably the best I've ever putted.

"It's a tough course mentally coming down the stretch. It's not super narrow, but it's just if you hit it a little bit wayward it can cost you.

"I wasn't thinking much of the deficit. I was just trying to play a good round of golf and get into next week (the Nordea Masters in Sweden) on a high.

"I was pretty angry after the third round and then took a long rest and tried to just have a good day. I came out holing putts on one and two, so anything can happen from there."