After 7 winless years, Alex Noren finally re-emerged triumphant this past weekend at The Belfry. The Swedish professional golfer ended the weekend with a closing round of 67, just one stroke in the lead. This is the second time the 43-year-old has come out on top at the Betfred British Masters.
Noren’s Recent Injury
While on the driving range ahead of the 2025 Sentry, Alex Noren felt a sharp pop in his leg. The pain forced him to withdraw, and an MRI revealed the truth. The golfer suffered from a a 90-percent tear of his tendon that attaches to the lower pelvis. “I had a little bit [of tendon] left, and I was lucky,” Noren told GolfDigest. “If it’s a full tear, you have a surgery and then it’s a year or something out.”
With a four-month heal time, and little rehab options, Noren found himself mostly resting up. But the healing process took longer than he expected, and getting back to 18-holes took closer to seven months for the golfer. With the unexpected down time, he decided to start coaching his 9-year-old daughter’s softball team in Florida. Of the experience, he said “It was awesome, the best thing I’ve ever done.”
“It’s amazing, you know?” he added. “You’re so stuck in your own golf world all of the time. It’s good to step out of it.”
He returned in time for the 2025 Truist Championship, and followed up at the PGA Championship. Given his recent time off, his T17 at Quail Hollow seemed to indicate that his away period might have done wonders for his game.
Noren’s Previous Wins
Despite never taking home a win on the PGA Tour, Noren boasts an impressive career on the European Tour. With 11 international wins, a Ryder Cup appearance, and two Olympic games under his belt, the Swede has seen a variety of success throughout his career.
Prior to his win this weekend, Noren experienced a long spell of winless rounds. The last title he took home was back in 2018, at the HNA Open de France. Prior to that, Noren won at the BMW PGA Championship (DP World Tour) in 2017.
Alex’s most successful year came in 2016. When he took home 1st place at the British Masters, Nedbank Golf Challenge, Omega European Masters, and Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. His second trophy at the British Masters is no small feat. Noren joins a small list of players who have achieved this accomplishment, including Seve Ballesteros.
Victory at The Belfry
At the end of his winning round, Noren spoke with DP Tour about what this win means to him, stating,
“It means a lot. It was a great, great week. I don’t think I’ve played like this for a very long time, and to get it done at the end, a little hiccup on the last, but extremely proud of myself.
“I told (caddie) Kyle (Morrison) earlier this year, ‘We are going to get it. We are going to get into good golf again after kind of a bumpy year’, and we did. The last three starts have been great.
“Super happy and super happy to do it here in Britain. I seem to love British people and British courses. So it’s wonderful here.”
Alex Noren Ends 7-Year Drought With British Masters Win