A nerveless Alex Noren continued his fine year by winning the European Masters yesterday after pipping overnight leader Scott Hend to the title with a lengthy birdie putt in the first playoff hole.
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Noren hit a final round of 65.
271 – Oliver FISHER (ENG) 70-69-69-63, Danny WILLETT (ENG) 65-72-70-64, Raphael JACQUELIN (FRA) 69-69-67-66, Michael LORENZO-VERA (FRA) 64-73-67-67, David DRYSDALE (SCO) 70-68-64-69, Mikko ILONEN (FIN) 66-67-68-70.
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.
The Frenchman moved to 9 under, one clear of Alex Noren of Sweden, who also had a 63 on a sunny day in the Swiss Alps.
Australia’s Scott Hend has shot a five-under-par round of 65 to lead the European Masters. “It’s only golf. It’s not my whole life anymore”.
After a birdie at the opening hole, Noren parred his way through to the sixth tee from where he proceeded to roll off four straight birdies for an outward nine of 30.
A wayward drive on the first extra hole meant Hend had it all to do, but a miraculous second shot from the trees left him just off the green before he chipped to six feet to apply the pressure.
“One shot clear is better than none”.
Willett is one of six European Ryder Cup rookies in captain Darren Clarke’s squad for the September 30-Oct. Still, a first-round 72 on Thursday left the 1999 European Masters victor too far back to challenge. “I worked quite hard this season and tried to really play more golf when I’ve been off and not do so much practice on the driving range”, he said.
“It was a good day, a little bit tougher playing in the afternoon here”.
Westwood, 43, will be making his 10th consecutive appearance in the Ryder Cup later this month as Europe seek to lift the trophy for the seventh time in eight contests when they take on the United States at Hazeltine in Minnesota.
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Nathan Holman couldn’t match his Friday 63, shooting a closing 75 to finish T68 at two over, while Brett Rumford closed with a 69 to finish 11 over and 77 after his disastrous third round a day earlier.
