Noren ties up third tour title

SWEDEN’S Alexander Noren cruised to his third European Tour title despite a closing round of 77 in Stockholm yesterday.

Noren took an 11-shot lead into the final day of the Nordea Masters at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club after a course-record 63 on Saturday.

And the 29-year-old was never in serious danger of letting such a commanding advantage slip, with no-one able to mount a charge as strong winds sent scores soaring.

Noren at least finished in style with a birdie on the last for a 15-under-par total of 273, finishing seven shots clear of England’s Richard Finch.

Finch had set the clubhouse target on eight under par after a superb 69, the lowest round of the day which made him the only man to break par, despite running up a triple-bogey six on the par-three 17th.

Sweden’s Niklas Lemke, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, finished third on five under, with Australia’s Scott Hend and Spain’s Pablo Martin a shot further back.

American Bubba Watson had been second overnight but closed with a 78 to drop back into a share of sixth place alongside compatriot Dustin Johnson, who finished with a 74.

* American Russ Cochran yesterday won the Senior Open Championship at Walton Heath with a closing 67.

The 52-year-old left-handerfinished 12 under par, two ahead of fellow overnight leader Mark Calcavecchia.

Former Ryder Cup captains Tom Watson and Corey Pavin shared third place a shot further back after rounds of 67 and 69 respectively, with England’s Barry Lane another shot back.

“It feels great,” Cochran said at the trophy presentation.

“I had my son on the bag, I told him I was going to work hard and come away with something good and I think he was the lucky charm.”

Victory for Calcavecchia would have made him only the fourth man to win the Senior Open having won the Open Championship itself, with Bob Charles, Gary Player and Watson the men to have done it to date.

* In the Challenge Tour, Ireland’s Gary Murphy posted a final round of three under par 69 to banish the memory of his third day 79 at the Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa in Essex.

The Drogheda professional finished the week on one over par and back in a tie for 58th spot but he will head to this week’s Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland buoyed by his final round performance in England.

Athlone’s Colm Moriarty, the only other Irishman to make the halfway cut in England posted a final round 71 to finish the week on one under and in a tie for 42nd place. Moriarty will join Murphy in Killarney at the Irish Open.

Frenchman Benjamin Hebert took the English Challenge title, carding a final round 70 to take the €25,600 first prize by two strokes from his compatriot Victor Riu.

* Japan’s Ai Miyazato held off the challenge of American Stacy Lewis to claim her second Evian Masters title in France. Miyazato took a two-shot lead into the final round and carded a closing 70 for a 15-under-par total of 273.

That was enough to finish two clear of Lewis, who also returned a 70, from Japan’s Miki Saiki, Korea’s In Kyung Kim and American Angela Stanford respectively.

Miyazato made the perfect start yesterday with three birdies in the first eight holes taking the 26-year-old to the turn in 33. Bogeys at the 12th and 14th gave the chasing pack hope, but Miyazato could afford to close with four straight pars to seal the win.