The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield, England – It was a dramatic finale at the Betfred British Masters as Sweden’s Alex Noren produced a superb closing round to capture the title, while Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard secured the final automatic place on Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
Noren, who last lifted the British Masters trophy in 2016, carded a brilliant final-round 67 to finish on 16-under par, edging out Nicolai Højgaard and Kazuma Kobori by a single shot. His victory was sealed in nerve-shredding fashion with a seven-foot bogey putt on the 18th green, underlining his trademark composure under pressure.
The win not only adds a second British Masters title to his CV but also reignites the 42-year-old Swede’s Ryder Cup ambitions, with European captain Luke Donald now facing some tough wildcard decisions.
While Noren lifted the trophy, the day also belonged to Rasmus Højgaard, who produced a steady final-round 71 to secure a top-15 finish and with it, the final automatic qualifying spot on Donald’s Ryder Cup team.
The 24-year-old admitted afterwards that he had been “stressed out” during the round, but his consistency proved enough to edge out Shane Lowry, who now faces an anxious wait to see if he receives a captain’s pick.
Rasmus now joins Europe’s automatic qualifiers, including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose, for September’s showdown against the United States at Bethpage Black.
The Belfry once again delivered the perfect setting for high drama. The iconic Brabazon Course, which has hosted the Ryder Cup four times, witnessed another memorable chapter in its history. With its reputation as one of the most prestigious venues in golf, the Sutton Coldfield resort is currently undergoing a major £80 million redevelopment, ensuring it remains a world-class destination for future tournaments.
Attention now turns to Luke Donald’s wildcard selections, with names such as Lowry, Noren, Matt Fitzpatrick and Sepp Straka all firmly in the conversation. With the Ryder Cup fast approaching, the captain’s final picks could prove decisive in shaping Europe’s chances in New York.
Final Leaderboard – Betfred British Masters at The Belfry
| Pos | Player | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Noren | -16 | 68 | 72 | 65 | 67 | 272 |
| T2 | Kazuma Kobori | -15 | 69 | 68 | 71 | 65 | 273 |
| T2 | Nicolai Højgaard | -15 | 69 | 70 | 67 | 67 | 273 |
| 4 | Keita Nakajima | -13 | 67 | 73 | 68 | 67 | 275 |
| 5 | Andy Sullivan | -12 | 72 | 67 | 69 | 68 | 276 |
| T6 | Marco Penge | -10 | 71 | 72 | 63 | 72 | 278 |
| T6 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -10 | 67 | 69 | 68 | 74 | 278 |
| T8 | Daniel Brown | -9 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 66 | 279 |
| T8 | Alex Fitzpatrick | -9 | 69 | 69 | 72 | 69 | 279 |
| T8 | Marcel Siem | -9 | 66 | 69 | 75 | 69 | 279 |
| T8 | Julien Guerrier | -9 | 72 | 68 | 68 | 71 | 279 |
| T8 | Haotong Li | -9 | 66 | 73 | 69 | 71 | 279 |
| T13 | Darren Fichardt | -8 | 71 | 72 | 68 | 69 | 280 |
| T13 | Ángel Ayora | -8 | 70 | 72 | 69 | 69 | 280 |
| T13 | Davis Bryant | -8 | 74 | 70 | 66 | 70 | 280 |
| T13 | Ángel Hidalgo | -8 | 71 | 71 | 68 | 70 | 280 |
| T13 | Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | -8 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 280 |
| T13 | Rasmus Højgaard | -8 | 69 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 280 |
| T19 | Marcel Schneider | -7 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 281 |
| T19 | Dan Bradbury | -7 | 71 | 71 | 67 | 72 | 281 |
| T19 | Danny Willett | -7 | 72 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 281 |
| T19 | Simon Forsström | -7 | 71 | 71 | 65 | 74 | 281 |
| T19 | Cameron Adam (a) | -7 | 71 | 70 | 66 | 74 | 281 |
