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Noren secures second British Masters title

football24 August 2025 16:33
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Alex Noren ended a seven-year wait for his 11th DP World Tour title as he fought off Nicolai Højgaard and a charging Kazuma Kobori to win the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo by one shot.

Noren, who also won this event in 2016, started the day one shot off the lead but took over at the top early in his final round before getting locked in a fierce battle with Dane Højgaard.

New Zealander Kobori stormed into contention late on with an eagle and four birdies in his final six holes to set the clubhouse target at 15 under par.

But Swede Noren produced a big finish of his own, picking up birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th to take a two-shot lead to the 18th tee.

He suffered a late scare as an errant tee-shot at the last cost him a shot there but he finished the week on 16 under to return to the winner's circle for the first time since the 2018 Open de France.

Kobori and Højgaard finished in a tie for second, while Nicolai Højgaard's twin brother Rasmus became the sixth and final player to qualify for the European Ryder Cup Team after finishing in a tie for 13th on eight under.

Noren started brightly on Sunday, setting up a tap-in birdie at the second with a delightful approach to take the outright lead before making it back-to-back gains from close range at the par-five third.

He created further chances on the front nine, with his long-range birdie try at the fifth narrowly missing the hole, but could not increase his advantage.

And after bogeying the ninth, the 43-year-old found himself two shots back at the turn.

But he responded with two consecutive birdies from around 15 feet at the tenth and 11th to grab a share of the lead before reeling off a hat-trick of gains from the 15th to give himself a two-shot cushion going down the last.

There were late nerves as Noren only found the 18th green with his fourth shot but he showed his mettle by holing from seven feet for a bogey which was good enough to earn him victory.

© europeantour.com

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