Noren beats Saddier in play-off to win PGA Championship
While team Europe’s Rder Cup stars toiled in the rain, the two overnight leaders could not be separated over 18 grueling holes, finishing three shots clear the rest on 19 under power. And it was a 43year-old, one of Luke Donald, vice captain, for the showdown in New York later this month, who won the player for the first extra hole after producing a fabulous shot out of the rough to set up short Bodie putt. It is Noran’s 12th win on the DP World Tour, his second in his past three starts after winning last month’s British Masters and his second victory in the European Circuits flagship event after triumphing in 2017. For Sadia, who finally broke through on the tour with a win on his 200 start in Italy earlier this year, it is another near miss after he held 36 hole and 54 hole leads at the European Masters in the Irish Open over the past month. England’s Aaron Ride demonstrated the form that had made him a contender to make the Ryder Cup side with an excellent bog-free round of 66 matched by former Masters champion Patrick Reed as they tied for third on 16 under. As for team Europe, Tiro Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick led the way, both finishing four shots back. Playing in the final three ball after his brilliant 8 under 64 on Saturday. Hatton missed a host of short putts on Sunday and was left behind by his playing partners as he closed with a two under 70. Fitzpatrick fired a five under 67 to finish at 15 under par alongside Yuan Ferguson of Scotland who shot four birdies in five holes on the back nine but was undone by a bogus six on the last. Only Rory Melroy with 20 titles has won more times on the DP world tour since 2009 and Norn and he needed all his nails to hold off the gutsy sadia. The Swede will be on the plane to New York alongside the current European stars. But he proved he can still beat the best of them with his fine performance across four days at Wentworth. Indeed, after winning his first title in seven years at the British Masters last month, there’s an argument that Noran ought to have been making his second playing appearance for the team. Ever humble, no one was asked if he was taking his club to Beth Page in case any European needed to pull out through injury and simply said others were more deserving of the chance to
