Alex Noren Wins First Worldwide Title In Seven Years Via Tense British Masters Victory At The Belfry

Alex Noren won his second British Masters title - and first worldwide victory since 2018 - by one stroke at The Belfry thanks to a closing round of 67

Jonny Leighfield's avatar
By
last updated

Alex Noren posses with the Betfred British Masters trophy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Alex Noren claimed his first worldwide victory in seven years after a closing 67 helped the Swede win the 2025 Betfred British Masters by a single stroke.

Noren trailed overnight leader, Matt Fitzpatrick by the finest of margins heading into Sunday's action but set about carding a five-under score which put him in with a chance of victory while the Englishman slipped backwards.

A busy top end of the leaderboard was populated by several other current, former and potential future Ryder Cup stars throughout the final day, including Marco Penge, Andy Sullivan and Nicolai Hojgaard.

But many of them fell away as Japan's Keita Nakajima and New Zealand's Kazuma Kobori surged towards first place late on.

While twin brother Rasmus ensured he would be a part of Luke Donald's 12-man roster via automatic qualification, Nicolai Hojgaard was aiming to stake his own claim courtesy of a fourth DP World Tour win.

The Dane appeared capable of keeping the field at arm's length down the back nine before Kobori charged into a share on 15-under thanks to a stunning long-range birdie at the last - a fitting end to his classy seven-under 65.

Yet, Hojgaard stumbled as the finish line drew closer and a bogey at 16 left him at 15-under - two behind Noren as the Swede found three birdies in a row between holes 15 and 17.

Despite a wayward tee shot on the 18th, Noren recovered the situation suitably to post a closing bogey and win his second British Masters title by one, following on from his maiden success at this even in 2016. Two years later, Noren's success at the 2018 Open de France would be his most recent until this week.

Reacting to his 2025 British Masters win, Noren said: "It means a lot. It was a great, great weekend. 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. My last three starts have been great."

Noren's winning score of 16-under put him just one ahead of Nicolai Hojgaard and Kobori in a share of second on 15-under and three in front of Japan's Nakajima in solo fourth.

Local player, Andy Sullivan secured solo fifth on 12-under as Fitzpatrick and Penge both finished on 10-under to share sixth. The top-10 was completed by France's Julien Guerrier, China's Haotong Li, Germany's Marcel Siem plus the English pair of Daniel Brown and Alex Fitzpatrick.

BRITISH MASTERS LEADERBOARD

  • -16 Alex Noren (67)
  • -15 Nicolai Hojgaard (67)
  • -15 Kazuma Kobori (65)
  • -13 Keita Nakajima (67)
  • -12 Andy Sullivan (68)
  • -10 Marco Penge (72)
  • -10 Matt Fitzpatrick (74)
  • -9 Julien Guerrier (71)
  • -9 Alex Fitzpatrick (69)
  • -9 Marcel Siem (69)
  • -9 Daniel Brown (66)
  • -9 Haotong Li (71)

Updates from...

A headshot of Golf Monthly staff news writer, Jonny Leighfield in a navy blue Castore cap
Jonny Leighfield
Refresh

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the British Masters final round. We have a tense fight on our hands with several current Ryder Cup hopefuls and a couple of former Ryder Cup players all vying for the title at The Belfry.

Nicolai Hojgaard currently leads by one with a handful of holes left to play, but Alex Noren is breathing down his neck while Keita Nakajima, Kazuma Kobori and Andy Sullivan all retain an interest.

Nicolai's twin brother Rasmus has just sealed his Ryder Cup fate as well, finishing inside the top-20 to automatically qualify for Luke Donald's dozen at Bethpage Black.

We will bring you all of the key updates from the closing holes as they happen. Thanks for tuning in!

KOBORI TAKES CLUBHOUSE LEAD

Young Kiwi talent, Kazuma Kobori has just finished up with a round of 65 to take the clubhouse lead out of nowhere! This is a kid who, very early in his career, had matched Tiger Woods' early win record. He has plenty of talent, don't you worry about that.

And he proves it by draining a massive birdie putt on the 18th from the lower tier. The smile on his face is as big as the lake protecting the ninth and 18th greens.

MISSED CHANCE

Hojgaard has been excellent so far today on five-under, but he's just wasted a chance at the par-5 15th to make birdie and nudge himself in front. His wedge into the 15th scurried to the back edge of the green, but the Dane missed his 10-12 foot roll towards the hole. I wonder if he's been affected by Kobori drawing alongside him.

CHASERS FALLING

After local man, Andy Sullivan bogeys the last to finish on 12-under. Keita Nakajima looked dangerous coming towards home, but he won't do any better than 14-under. In fact, the Japanese players chops out of the bunker at 18 before missing his par putt and will end on 13-under thanks to a closing 67. His only dropped stroke of the day has arrived on 18.

NOREN INTO A SHARE

The experienced Swede shows his quality to chip close at the 15th and then tidy up for birdie. Noren has moved on to 15-under as Hojgaard finds himself in a spot of trouble at the very next hole...

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO

Hojgaard came up short with his approach into the 16th, which was into the wind, and was faced with a tough short-sided chip from the right rough. He had to take his chances with a mid-range par putt as a consequence but just pushed it narrowly wide. Unfortunately, that is an untimely bogey for Hojgaard with only two holes to play.

PLAYING DARTS

From 156 yards, Alex Noren fades a wonderful approach to hole-high at the 16th and will have a chance to move one in front with two holes to play. How big a moment will that prove to be?

NEW LEADER

Oooh, that was close! Alex Noren just dribbles his downhill putt in the left side of the hole from eight feet or so. It goes in, though, and the Swede is now one ahead with two holes to play.

MORE CHANGE?

Noren slams his drive down the left side of the par-5 17th and may have a low-hanging tree in his way as he looks to go for the green. Up ahead, Nicolai Hojgaard had a makeable eagle chance but under-hit the putt. He should make birdie, though, which would draw him back into a share of second.

GOOD ENOUGH

Goodness me, that was close! Hojgaard just about finds enough of the hole at 17 to make birdie from what looked like two or three feet at most. Nevertheless, it went in and that's all that matters. He's within one again.

OUT OF JAIL

Noren might have just played the shot which wins him the British Masters for a second time. With 196 yards to go but blocked out by that low-hanging tree, Noren was forced to thump a runner down the baked-out fairway. It scurried up on to the putting surface and came to rest some 40-50 feet away. Eagle chance incoming.

TWO IN FRONT

There will not be an eagle for Noren, but he has a kick-in birdie to take a two-stroke advantage down the 18th.

NOT OVER

Alex Noren has swiped right across his tee shot at the 18th and his ball has flown miles right. The TV cameras couldn't see it, but he doesn't need to hit a provisional so it could well be OK. Kobori and Hojgaard might smell an opening, though...

RESCUE ACT

Noren was in no man's land between the 16th and 17th and was weighing up his options in terms of the safer play. Honestly, none of the options were particularly appealing, but he's wedged one over the trees to leave a wedge in. He needs a five to win outright. His third will come from 160 yards.

NERVY TIMES

Noren's approach into the 18th green is pushed right ever so slightly and winds up burrowing down into the rough. This is completely lie-dependent, you'd think. A nice lie and you'd fancy a tour pro to get up and down from there 99 times out of 100. But if it's not a nice lie...

PUTT TO WIN

Noren stabs down at the ball and squeezes it out to maybe six or eight feet away. Under normal circumstances, this putt might not be all that tough. But this is for the British Masters title.

Make it for the win. Misses and we're going to a three-way playoff. Here we go...

ALEX NOREN WINS THE 2025 BETFRED BRITISH MASTERS

Brilliant from Alex Noren! He rolls his bogey putt home and is greeted by warm applause and many cheers as he realizes what he's done. His first win worldwide in seven years, his 11th DP World Tour victory and second British Masters success. Well done, Alex Noren.