Staff WriterAlex Noren, the Swede who seems to save his best golf for Wentworth, pulled off another dramatic finish to claim the BMW PGA Championship title in a playoff against France’s Adrian Saddier.
The 43-year-old secured his 12th DP World Tour victory and moved past Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson to become the most decorated Swede in Tour history.
This wasn’t Noren’s first tango with the West Course. Back in 2017, he shot a record-equalling 62 here to snatch the trophy. This time around, it was less poetry and more prizefight. Noren went blow-for-blow with Saddier over four tense rounds before finishing it on the first extra hole.
Trading Punches Down the Stretch
Noren began Sunday tied for the lead and briefly looked in command with a one-shot cushion after the front nine. But Saddier, chasing his maiden Tour win, refused to blink. The Frenchman rattled in four birdies on the inward stretch, forcing Noren to dig deep with birdies at 12 and 13.
By the 17th, they were locked together at 19 under par. Pars on 18 meant overtime—and a high-stakes stroll back to the par-five finisher.
Both men found the left side rough, both faced dicey chips, but fortune tilted Noren’s way. Saddier’s approach skidded long, leaving a treacherous downhill putt he couldn’t convert. Noren, cool as a Stockholm winter, clipped his chip close and tapped in for birdie. Game over.
Noren on the Edge
“It was such a tough, emotional back nine,” Noren admitted afterwards. “He played very well, Adrien, and I thought the leaderboard was kind of stacked the whole way down to 13, 14. It just kept going.
“I was extremely happy to first, get in the playoff, and felt a little bit more relaxed, a little bit better weather on the playoff hole. It’s so many emotions right now. In the playoff, it felt a little bit easier than maybe coming down the 72nd hole.”
The Swede, who won the Betfred British Masters just three weeks ago, confessed his irons deserted him on Sunday but credited his short game for keeping him in the fight. “Sometimes it comes too easy and sometimes you’ve just got to fight, and today it felt like a fight.”
The Chasing Pack
Behind the leading pair, Aaron Rai and Patrick Reed shared third on 16 under, while Ryder Cup heavyweights Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland joined Ewen Ferguson, Darren Fichardt and Si Woo Kim one shot further back in a logjam for fifth.
As if the drama wasn’t enough, the week also delivered for a good cause. The Eagles for Education initiative raised £72,000 for the Golf Foundation, thanks to BMW’s £1,000 donation for every eagle made. The fourth hole alone coughed up 25 of them across the week.
A Champion’s Love Affair with Wentworth
For Noren, the BMW PGA Championship remains one of the crown jewels of golf. “I love it. This tournament is unbelievable. I told all the guys in the States to come over here. I think it’s one of the best tournaments in the whole world. It just gets better every year.”
At 43, Noren has found a second wind, bagging two wins in three weeks and etching his name even deeper into Swedish golf history.
He may not always win with a record-breaking 62, but when the lights shine brightest at Wentworth, Alex Noren knows how to deliver a show.
| Club | Model | Specs | Shaft / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Paradym Ai Smoke Max D | 9° | Tour AD VF 6X |
| Fairway Wood | Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond | 15° | Not specified |
| Utility Wood | Apex UW 26 | 19° | Not specified |
| Irons | Apex TCB 24 | 4–9 | Not specified |
| Wedges | Opus SP | 46° · 50° · 56° · 60° | Not specified |
| Putter | Odyssey O-Works 1W | — | Not specified |
| Ball | Chrome Tour | — | — |
