Wales Open

NEWPORT, Wales — Unheralded Swede Alexander Noren (FSY) captured his second European Tour title by winning the Wales Open on Sunday, shooting a 1-under 70 for a two-stroke victory.

The 127th-ranked Noren shot a 1-under 70 in the final round for a 9-under total of 275 at Celtic Manor, adding to his win at the 2009 European Masters.

"It will be weird but I will look forward to it," he said. "I can't believe it still. When the final putt was this far, I knew it was done. It was incredible."

Noren won't be able to celebrate for long. He is scheduled to tee off at Sunningdale on Monday in a qualifying tournament for the British Open at Royal St. George's next month.

Gregory Bourdy (FSY) of France had a bogey-free 67 to finish joint runner-up with Anders Hansen (FSY) of Denmark, who had a 71.

Johan Edfors (FSY) (69) and Peter Hanson (72) of Sweden, Ricardo Gonzalez (FSY) of Argentina (67) and Pablo Larrazabal (FSY) of Spain (67) were another stroke back.

Noren acknowledged feeling some tension after entering the third round with a one-stroke lead, then said he expecNoren won by two strokes from the Dane Anders Hansen and the Frenchman Gregory Havret after a closing 70 containing two birdies and one mistake. That came on the drivable 15th when, with confidence high and a three-stroke cushion, he went for the green with a three-wood and saw it go left and kick down a bank into a hazard.

A bogey five brought the gap down to two but he parred the last three holes for a nine-under-par total of 275. It completed a very satisfactory week that began with Noren qualifying for the US Open – his first major in America.

But his work goes on. Winning the title and £300,000 does not spare him from 36 holes of Open Championship qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday. "It will be weird but I will look forward to it," he said. "My driving has been the best it's ever been. I never really believed I could do well on tough courses but now we play them all the time. I've proved to myself I can hit a lot of greens and not just rely on my short game."

His name follows that of Graeme McDowell on to the trophy – and last year, of course, the Ulsterman went on to capture the US Open as well. McDowell had hopes of a successful defence when he was lying in second place behind Noren at halfway but then came a terrible Saturday score of 81 and even an improvement of 10 strokes on Sunday lifted him only to 30th place.

Noren had resumed one ahead of Hansen and Peter Hanson but by the 7th green that had swelled to four. Hansen was the first to fall back, taking a double-bogey seven on the long 2nd after his ball plugged in sand. Hanson went joint top with a 10-foot putt on the 4th but missed a three-foot opportunity at the next, double-bogeyed the 6th after failing to make it over the water with his approach and then three-putted the next.

Grégory Bourdy set the target of seven under with a birdie at the par-five last and Hansen's birdie at the short 17th meant he still had a chance. But, although Noren went over the green in two on the last and then played a poor chip, Hansen was bunkered and came out 18 feet past the flag. Both took five and Hansen finished joint second with Bourdy. Johan Edfors, another Swede, eagled the hole to share fourth with Argentina's Ricardo González, who hit a triple-bogey seven at the 1st but shot a 67.ted a tougher task Sunday.