BMW PGA Championship: Alex Noren beats Adrien Saddier to win title for second time

Sweden’s Alex Noren beat France’s Adrien Saddier in a play-off to win the BMW PGA Championship in torrential weather at Wentworth Club.

While Team Europe’s Ryder Cup stars toiled in the rain, the two overnight leaders could not be separated over 18 gruelling holes, finishing three shots clear of the rest on 19 under par.

And it was the 43-year-old, one of Luke Donald’s vice-captains for the showdown in New York later this month, who won the play-off at the first extra hole after producing a fabulous shot out of the rough to set up short birdie putt.

It is Noren’s 12th win on the DP World Tour, his second in his past three starts after winning last month’s British Masters, and his second title at Wentworth after his victory in 2017.

For Saddier, who finally broke through on the tour with a win on his 200th start in Italy earlier this year, it is another near miss after he held 36-hole and 54-hole leads at the European Masters and the Irish Open over the past month.

England’s Aaron Rai demonstrated the form that had made him a contender to make the Ryder Cup side, with an excellent bogey-free round of 66, matched by former Masters champion Patrick Reed, as they tied for third on 16 under.

As for Team Europe, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick led the way, both finishing four shots back. Playing in the final three-ball after his brilliant eight-under 64 on Saturday, Hatton missed a host of short putts on Sunday and was left behind by his playing partners.

Fitzpatrick fired a five-under 67 to finish at 15 under par, alongside Ewen Ferguson of Scotland who shot four birdies in five holes on the back nine but was undone by a bogey-six on the last.

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