“It feels wonderful to be among Seve Ballesteros and Thomas Bjørn to win two Omega European Masters titles”, said an ecstatic Noren.
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His effort was by far the best of the European Ryder Cup players who are competing at Crans.
Scott Hend hit a 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the European Masters in the heart of the Swiss Alps at Crans-sur-Sierre.
Aided by a brilliant front nine of 30 which included four birdies in a row, 2009 champion Noren led by two shots with four holes to play, only to three-putt the 17th from long range after Hend had birdied the 15th.
Noren began the final round a shot behind Australia’s Scott Hend, but quickly wiped out that deficit with a birdie on the first and then added four more in succession from the sixth.
Alejandro Cañizares, Mikko Ilonen, Andrew Johnston and Romain Langasque are all tied in fourth and Sunday’s play could see a tense finish in Switzerland.
U.S. Masters champion Danny Willett will pose a serious threat to compatriot Justin Rose’s title defence at this year’s Hong Kong Open after the Ryder Cup team mates confirmed their participation in the December 8-11 tournament.
“It feels unbelievable”, said the 34-year-old Noren, who won the Scottish Open in July and will climb to a career-high world ranking inside the top-30. “It’s only golf. It’s not my whole life anymore”.
Clarke himself – understandably with other matters on his mind – could only manage an eight over par 78, while Michael Hoey finished seven shots better.
Hend duck-hooked his tee shot at the 18th but enjoyed a huge slice of fortune when his second pitched short of the stream at the front of the green and hopped onto the putting surface, and he got up and down from the rear rough to force extra holes. If this win had come a few weeks earlier, Noren would probably have been headed for his first Ryder Cup.
On a standout day for Europe’s Ryder Cup players, Westwood’s round edged 64s for fellow Englishmen Willett and Matt Fitzpatrick, the runner-up here a year ago who finished at 10 under.
The duo returned to the 18th tee for the first hole of sudden death and Hend hooked his tee shot again but he stayed clear of the trees. Still, a first-round 72 on Thursday left the 1999 European Masters victor too far back to challenge.
“He (Alex) played fantastic golf today but I didn’t play quite well enough”.
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Lee Westwood of England, a pick by captain Darren Clarke to face the United States at Hazeltine, Minnesota, from September 30, shot a 4-under 66 to move to 2 under.
