Composed Noren claims British Masters title

The Swede took a three-stroke advantage into the final round at The Grove and finished with a two-under 69 to ensure 2016 will go down as the most prosperous year of his career to date.

Published : Oct 17, 2016 12:48 IST

Alex Noren is all smiles after lifting the British Masters trophy.
Alex Noren is all smiles after lifting the British Masters trophy.
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Alex Noren is all smiles after lifting the British Masters trophy.

Alex Noren sealed his third European Tour title of a fruitful year with a two-shot victory in the British Masters on Sunday.

The Swede took a three-stroke advantage into the final round at The Grove and finished with a two-under 69 to ensure 2016 will go down as the most prosperous year of his career to date.

Noren completed the job in style, chipping to within a foot of the hole at 18 and tapping in for his fourth birdie of the day to end the week 18 under and become the first man to win three European Tour titles this year.

Former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell has pulled the plug on his European Tour season after a best finish in two years in sharing fourth place at the British Masters.

The Orlando-based Northern Irishman posted a final round 68 for a 13-under par tally that saw him finish five shots behind Sweden's Alex Noren at The Grove course north of London on Sunday.

McDowell's effort, following his bitter disappointment in not qualifying for the 2016 European Ryder Cup team, was his best on the European Tour since he shared third place in the 2014 WGC-Champions event in Shanghai.

"It was a very pleasing week in general and I wish I had felt as comfortable on the back nine as I did on the front nine all week, but that's one of those things," he said.

"Sometimes the golf course fits your eye in places and doesn't fit it in others."

McDowell added: "The back nine really wasn't flicking my switches this week and I didn't play it very well. Especially holes like 18, if I played 18 better all week, I think I played it one-over for the week, which on a hole where Tiger Woods played seven-under par here in 2006 is slightly disappointing.

"But it was just one of those things, all in all, great week."

McDowell's finish has seen him jump 11 spots to 46th on the Race to Dubai and well inside the top-60 that will contest the European season-ending DP World Tour Championship starting in Dubai on November 17.

Instead, McDowell is returning to his young family in Florida to concentrate on his defence of the PGA Tour Mayakoba Classic in Mexico on November 10.

"No Shanghai or Final Series for me as I'm going to go back and play a couple of the events in the States at the end of the year," he said.

"I'm going to defend at Mayakoba and play Vegas the week before and I'm going to be in Melbourne for the World Cup with Shane Lowry (November 24-27).

"I'm disappointed not to factor more in the Final Series nor the HSBC as I'm right on the edge in qualifying for the last event in Dubai," said McDowell.

"So I'll focus on those two events. It's always important to friends when you get the opportunity to defend, and I look forward to finishing down in Melbourne, should be pretty cool."

It will be the first time since the inception of the Final Series in 2009 that McDowell will miss the event.

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