Noren sets course record en route to BMW PGA win

Alex Noren went out early, set a new course record and then sat back and watched as no one was able to catch him at the BMW PGA Championship.

Noren started the day seven shots off the pace, but he eagled the par-5 18th hole to close out a 10-under 62 at the newly-redesigned Wentworth Golf Club outside London. It was 10 shots better than his even-par effort in the third round, 13 shots better than his second-round 75 and ultimately gave the Swede a two-shot victory at the European Tour's flagship event.

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It's Noren's ninth career European Tour victory, and his fifth since capturing the Scottish Open in July. He started the week ranked No. 13 in the world and is expected to jump as high as No. 8 when the new rankings are publiished.

When Noren finished his round, he was two shots clear of the field and the leaders still had several holes to play. But one by one they each failed to mount a rally, as Branden Grace, Shane Lowry and overnight leader Andrew Dodt combined to make four double bogeys on the back nine. Open champ Henrik Stenson got within two shots of Noren after birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 only to bogey two of his next three holes.

Francesco Molinari closed with a pair of birdies to finish alone in second at 9 under. Nicolas Colsaerts tied for third at 8 under alongside Stenson and Japan's Hideto Tanihara, who bounced back from an opening-round 76 that included a quadruple bogey on the 18th hole.

Golfchannel.com

Tag: BMW PGA Alex Noren European Tour victory