Noren beats Saddier in play-off to win BMW PGA Championship
Sweden's Alex Noren wins at Wentworth after a dramatic extra hole in torrential rain
Alex Noren beat Adrien Saddier in a sudden-death play-off to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club on Sunday, prevailing at the first extra hole after a superb recovery from the rough set up a short birdie putt.
The pair had finished regulation play tied at 19 under par, three shots clear of the field, after a testing final round in heavy rain. Noren, 43, one of Luke Donald’s vice-captains for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, claimed his 12th DP World Tour title and his second at Wentworth.
Noren and Saddier entered the final day as the overnight leaders and could not be separated over 18 gruelling holes in the wet conditions. On the first extra hole, Noren produced a recovery shot from heavy rough to give himself a makeable birdie putt, which he converted to secure the victory.
The win is Noren’s second in his past three starts, following victory at the British Masters last month, and marks his second title at Wentworth after his 2017 triumph. He also remains joint holder of the course record at Wentworth after a 62 in that 2017 win.
Saddier, who broke through for his maiden DP World Tour title in Italy earlier this year on his 200th start, finished a runner-up for the latest in a string of narrow misses. The Frenchman had held 36-hole and 54-hole leads at the European Masters and the Irish Open in recent weeks but was unable to close out another win on Sunday.
England’s Aaron Rai produced a bogey-free final round of 66 and was matched by former Masters champion Patrick Reed as the duo tied for third at 16 under par. Team Europe hopefuls Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick finished four shots off the winning total. Hatton, who played in the final three-ball after an eight-under 64 on Saturday, missed a number of short putts on Sunday and fell behind his playing partners, while Fitzpatrick carded a five-under 67 to finish at 15 under.
Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson also finished on 15 under after a late run that included four birdies in five holes on the back nine, but a bogey-six on the 18th left him alongside Fitzpatrick. Other notable performances saw Jon Rahm finish 13 under, Ludvig Åberg and Rory McIlroy end 12 under, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry at eight under, and Justin Rose at six under.
The tournament, played in testing weather, provided one more high-profile result ahead of the Ryder Cup later this month in New York, with several European team members among the leading finishers at Wentworth.