Noren Hunting Third BMW PGA Title With Eye On Ryder Cup
Alex Noren is back at one of his favourite hunting grounds, Wentworth Golf Club, and looking at the chance to win a third BMW PGA Championship this week.
The Swede won his first title in 2017 and, with his second win last year, he joined Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie in an exclusive three-time winners club. However, Sir Nick Faldo is a win further ahead on the PGA winners’ leaderboard and is the only player to have won four titles.
Noren has had a good season in America, and after a rest, is feeling good back in England. “Great memories. Obviously I love coming to England and UK, playing golf here. I love all the courses here. I just think the crowds are great. The tournament is great. It’s just a lovely place to play golf. Maybe that attribute contributes to some good play for me at this event.”
A visit on Monday to Adare Manor with Luke Donald and a Ryder Cup squad of sixteen players has Noren fired up to play better in an effort to make the 2027 Ryder Cup.
“Yeah, when I was there yesterday, it hits you how like amazing Ryder Cup is, and I thought the venue was spectacular. I’ve never seen a place like it.”
“To have a year to see if I can improve in all areas of the game and be part of that team would be amazing, and it was very – firstly, I thought it was smart of Luke to gather all the players there. Second, it made it kind of even more sort of like a goal for everybody, I think.”
“Some players obviously know they will be there, but for everybody else, it was a really tempting goal just to see the place and then imagine it in one year.”
Noren was a vice-captain in the last Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black and has actually played only once in the Ryder Cup, on the winning team in Paris back in 2018. When asked how hard will it be for him to gain a playing spot in Adare, he replied, “I’m hoping for the best to come. Some stuff comes in between. You have family, you have maybe other hobbies, but as long as – I have to work a little harder on my physical side. Before, I could just train and wake up the next day feeling pretty good. Now, it’s a little bit more work.”
“If I’m organised, I can do it, I think, but it’s not my strong suit to be organised. I think I have to improve on that side. If that’s so, I think you can play pretty good golf until you’re in the 50s. I’m hoping my best is to come, yeah.”
A win this week at the BMW PGA Championship will be a giant step in the right direction for a return to Ryder Cup duty for the Swede.
Photo: BMW Group PressClub