Alex Noren holes bunker shot on way to two-shot
European Masters win from Bradley Dredge
FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Swede Alex Noren grabbed his maiden European Tour title in Switzerland today - and there is no doubt what shot he will remember most.
In the first qualifying event for next year's Ryder Cup, the 27-year-old holed a difficult bunker shot for an eagle 3 at the long 15th as he took the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in the majestic Swiss Alps.
It helped Noren to a two-stroke victory over Welshman Bradley Dredge, the 2006 winner.
Noren, who played four years on the American college circuit as an Oklahoma State University student, said: "I was so happy when that bunker shot went in. I've never felt this good about my game, and to win was just brilliant."
As for being the first leader in the Ryder Cup race, he added: "Now I will just have to stay there!"
=========================
For more golf news, click on the links:
Official website of the Ryder Cup
European Tour's official website
=========================
A first prize of just over £292,000 - and the same number of cup points - was achieved with a closing round of 66 and 20-under-par total of 264.
Dredge, desperate to make a debut on home soil next year, will have reminded European captain Colin Montgomerie of what he can do - after crashing to 256th in the world from 46th.
"It was a fun battle, and Alex produced a great shot on the 15th - so congratulations to him," said Dredge, after a 65 that included a 63-yard pitch-in for eagle on the long ninth as he drew level from four behind.
England's Ross McGowan, also round in 65, was third - and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez fourth - while the low score of the day was a 64 from 20-year-old Rory McIlroy, last year's play-off loser.
With an eagle and eight birdies, he had climbed from 34th to third standing on the final tee but was put off by a photographer and by bogeying the 18th finished in a tie for seventh.
Lee Westwood, fourth on the table, closed with a 66 for 23rd place - along with 16-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, youngest-ever British amateur champion and 13th at The Open in July.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
264 Alexander Noren (Swe) 65 70 63 66 (333,330 Euros).
266 Bradley Dredge 68 65 68 65 (222,220 Euros).
267 Ross McGowan 67 67 68 65 (125,200 Euros).
269 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 65 68 69 67
270 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 71 67 67
271 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 68 65 71
272 Rory McIlroy 67 71 70 64, David Howell 68 69 68 67, Angelo Que (Phi) 69 65 68 70, Simon Dyson 63 71 73 65
273 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 68 71 67 67, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71 68 67 67, Paul Broadhurst 72 67 68 66
274 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 70 66 68 70, Julien Clement (Swi) 69 67 71 67, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 67 69 68
275 Tano Goya (Arg) 70 68 72 65, Paul McGinley 66 68 70 71
276 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 68 70 69, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 65 70 74 67, David Dixon 69 69 68 70, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 68 72 68 68
277 Oliver Wilson 70 68 69 70, Metteo Manassero (Ita) (am) 68 70 69 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 66 72, Danny Willett 65 71 72 69, Graeme Storm 69 66 70 72, Mark Foster 70 70 70 67, Pablo Martin (Spa) 70 66 73 68, Lee Westwood 71 67 73 66, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 68 71 70 68
278 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 68 72 70 68, Chris Wood 66 72 65 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 64 75 71, Graeme McDowell 68 70 71 69, Robert Dinwiddie 74 66 67 71, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 71 69 66 72, David Lynn 68 70 72 68, Brett Rumford (Aus) 62 73 72 71, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 69 68 69 72, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 70 68 70 70
279 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72 70 70, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 67 73 68, Andres Romero (Arg) 65 70 72 72, Benn Barham 70 66 73 70
280 Luke List (USA) 70 69 67 74, Peter Hanson (Swe) 74 65 71 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 70 69 74
281 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68 69 70 74, Anthony Kang (USA) 71 69 71 70, Callum Macaulay 68 72 68 73, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 67 74 72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 70 71 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 66 69 69 77, Seve Benson 71 69 71 70 (8,600 Euros each).
282 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 72 69 74, Gary Orr 69 71 72 70, David Drysdale 70 70 73 69, Scott Drummond 72 67 72 71 (6,450 Euros each).
283 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 69 73 73, David Horsey 70 70 72 71, Darren Clarke 69 68 74 72
284 Richard Bland 71 68 73 72, Anthony Wall 69 71 77 67, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 69 71 71 73
285 Gareth Maybin 70 68 76 71
288 Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 71 74 75
289 Gary Lockerbie 73 67 78 71
292 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 69 71 76 76, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 69 69 73 81
European Masters win from Bradley Dredge
FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Swede Alex Noren grabbed his maiden European Tour title in Switzerland today - and there is no doubt what shot he will remember most.
In the first qualifying event for next year's Ryder Cup, the 27-year-old holed a difficult bunker shot for an eagle 3 at the long 15th as he took the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in the majestic Swiss Alps.
It helped Noren to a two-stroke victory over Welshman Bradley Dredge, the 2006 winner.
Noren, who played four years on the American college circuit as an Oklahoma State University student, said: "I was so happy when that bunker shot went in. I've never felt this good about my game, and to win was just brilliant."
As for being the first leader in the Ryder Cup race, he added: "Now I will just have to stay there!"
=========================
For more golf news, click on the links:
Official website of the Ryder Cup
European Tour's official website
=========================
A first prize of just over £292,000 - and the same number of cup points - was achieved with a closing round of 66 and 20-under-par total of 264.
Dredge, desperate to make a debut on home soil next year, will have reminded European captain Colin Montgomerie of what he can do - after crashing to 256th in the world from 46th.
"It was a fun battle, and Alex produced a great shot on the 15th - so congratulations to him," said Dredge, after a 65 that included a 63-yard pitch-in for eagle on the long ninth as he drew level from four behind.
England's Ross McGowan, also round in 65, was third - and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez fourth - while the low score of the day was a 64 from 20-year-old Rory McIlroy, last year's play-off loser.
With an eagle and eight birdies, he had climbed from 34th to third standing on the final tee but was put off by a photographer and by bogeying the 18th finished in a tie for seventh.
Lee Westwood, fourth on the table, closed with a 66 for 23rd place - along with 16-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, youngest-ever British amateur champion and 13th at The Open in July.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
264 Alexander Noren (Swe) 65 70 63 66 (333,330 Euros).
266 Bradley Dredge 68 65 68 65 (222,220 Euros).
267 Ross McGowan 67 67 68 65 (125,200 Euros).
269 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 65 68 69 67
270 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 71 67 67
271 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 68 65 71
272 Rory McIlroy 67 71 70 64, David Howell 68 69 68 67, Angelo Que (Phi) 69 65 68 70, Simon Dyson 63 71 73 65
273 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 68 71 67 67, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71 68 67 67, Paul Broadhurst 72 67 68 66
274 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 70 66 68 70, Julien Clement (Swi) 69 67 71 67, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 67 69 68
275 Tano Goya (Arg) 70 68 72 65, Paul McGinley 66 68 70 71
276 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 68 70 69, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 65 70 74 67, David Dixon 69 69 68 70, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 68 72 68 68
277 Oliver Wilson 70 68 69 70, Metteo Manassero (Ita) (am) 68 70 69 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 66 72, Danny Willett 65 71 72 69, Graeme Storm 69 66 70 72, Mark Foster 70 70 70 67, Pablo Martin (Spa) 70 66 73 68, Lee Westwood 71 67 73 66, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 68 71 70 68
278 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 68 72 70 68, Chris Wood 66 72 65 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 64 75 71, Graeme McDowell 68 70 71 69, Robert Dinwiddie 74 66 67 71, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 71 69 66 72, David Lynn 68 70 72 68, Brett Rumford (Aus) 62 73 72 71, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 69 68 69 72, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 70 68 70 70
279 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72 70 70, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 67 73 68, Andres Romero (Arg) 65 70 72 72, Benn Barham 70 66 73 70
280 Luke List (USA) 70 69 67 74, Peter Hanson (Swe) 74 65 71 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 70 69 74
281 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68 69 70 74, Anthony Kang (USA) 71 69 71 70, Callum Macaulay 68 72 68 73, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 67 74 72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 70 71 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 66 69 69 77, Seve Benson 71 69 71 70 (8,600 Euros each).
282 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 72 69 74, Gary Orr 69 71 72 70, David Drysdale 70 70 73 69, Scott Drummond 72 67 72 71 (6,450 Euros each).
283 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 69 73 73, David Horsey 70 70 72 71, Darren Clarke 69 68 74 72
284 Richard Bland 71 68 73 72, Anthony Wall 69 71 77 67, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 69 71 71 73
285 Gareth Maybin 70 68 76 71
288 Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 71 74 75
289 Gary Lockerbie 73 67 78 71
292 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 69 71 76 76, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 69 69 73 81
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, September 06, 2009
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