Noren makes Race to Dubai push with Nordea Masters victory
Following his glorious win in the Nordea Masters at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Sweden last weekend, Alexander Noren was, unsurprisingly, the most significant mover in The European Tour Race to Dubai standings as he climbed eight places to leap into the Top Ten.
The Nordea Masters was the 32nd of 51 qualifying events in The 2011 Race to Dubai which culminates in the grand finale, the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World, at Jumeirah Golf Estates from December 8-11, where the top 60 players in the ranking will compete.
The 29 year old leapt eight places from 16th to eighth after winning by seven shots at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club, his second victory of the season following his triumph in the Saab Wales Open in June, and with earnings so far of €912,563 he is on track to finish higher than the 25th place he managed in 2009.
The win not only cements his place in the field for the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World, which offers a prize fund of US$7.5 million and where he finished sixth in 2009, it also gives him a chance of claiming a portion of the US$7.5 million Bonus Pool come the end of the season, a figure which is shared between the top 15 players in The Race to Dubai.
World Number One Luke Donald is currently sitting pretty at the summit as the Race moves well past the halfway point, but Noren is making a steady push towards the top.
As the top end begins to take shape, with Major Champions Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy and last year’s Race to Dubai champion Martin Kaymer in second to fourth spot immediately below Donald, there are also some big names further down the ranking, all fighting for the right to play in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
Colin Montgomerie, who was The European Tour’s Order of Merit champion for seven years in a row between 1993 and 1999, and three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington are two in particular, who will have to fight to earn their berths in Dubai as they lie in 87th and 88th positions respectively.
However, big moves are possible as was shown by England’s Richard Finch who rose from 76th place to comfortably into the top 60 at 41st place thanks to his second place finish in the Nordea Masters.
Tickets for the 2011 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World – held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council – are available now by registering at the official website www.DubaiWorldChampionship.com.
