Golf Dec 07, 2025

BMW PGA Championship: Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren shares lead as Team Europe's Tyrrell Hatton chases victory at Wentworth

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
BMW PGA Championship: Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren shares lead as Team Europe's Tyrrell Hatton chases victory at Wentworth

Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren delivered an incredible finish to take a share of the lead into the final round of the BMW PGA Championship, as Tyrrell Hatton charged into contention.

Noren - part of Luke Donald's European backroom team for his month's Ryder Cup - rolled in a final-hole eagle, having birdied his previous two holes, to card a third-round 65 at Wentworth and move alongside Adrien Saddier on 15 under.

Saddier registered three birdies in the last four holes to match Noren's 65 and ensure he will be part of the final group for the second week running on the DP World Tour, while Hatton is within two of the lead after finishing a bogey-free 64 with three consecutive birdies.

Hatton is the leading title contender from Team Europe's 10-strong contingent who made it through to the weekend, with Viktor Hovland - briefly three ahead - in fourth on 12 under as Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Ã…berg head into the final day five behind.

Halfway leader Hideki Matsuyama fell seven strokes back after a four-over 76, a score matched by playing partner Justin Rose in the final group, while Rory McIlroy posted two double-bogeys in a two-under 70 that leaves him 10 shots adrift.

Robert MacIntyre was among the names to miss the additional cut, limited to a maximum of 78 players, while the threat of bad weather has seen tee times brought forward for Sunday's final round.

Hovland had quickly moved ahead earlier in the day by following a 30-foot birdie at the first by making back-to-back gains from the third, as Matsuyama - starting one clear - lost ground with a double-bogey at the par-five fourth.

The Norwegian briefly went three ahead when Ã…berg hit from a bridge into the bushes on his way to a bogey at the seventh, only for him to give the chasing pack hope when he finished his front nine with back-to-back bogeys.

Hatton was seven strokes off the halfway lead and showed little sign of a weekend charge when he started his third round with five consecutive pars, only to birdie the next and race up the leaderboard with four more in a row from the ninth.

Hovland cancelled out a birdie at the tenth with a double-bogey at the 12th, as Saddier charged ahead when he followed a birdie at the 11th by holing another from long range at the par-four 15th.

Hatton birdied each of his last three holes to close a bogey-free 64 and set the clubhouse target at 13 under, only for Saddier to go two clear when he followed a birdie at the 17th by two-putting from 25 feet for another at the par-five last.

"It was a good day's work," Hatton said. "Got off to a little bit of a slow start. But the last ten holes was great. Gave myself plenty of opportunities, and it's always nice to see putts going in."

Noren - last month's British Masters champion - made his move with a run of three consecutive birdies from the ninth and followed a bogey at the 13th by holing from 40 feet at the 16th, then produced the birdie-eagle finish on the closing par-fives to pull level with Saddier.

Darren Fichardt holds fifth spot ahead of a logjam on 10 under containing Fitzpatrick, Ã…berg, Aaron Rai, Ewen Ferguson and former Masters champion Patrick Reed, with LIV Golf League star Joaquin Niemann a further shot behind.

Rose played his first six holes in five over to slip back to seven under, also featuring Ryder Cup teammates Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry, with McIlroy on five under for the tournament despite registering 17 birdies over his first three rounds.

"There has been a lot of birdies and there has been quite a lot of good stuff, but just too many of those blue numbers [bogeys and doubles]," McIlroy told SportNews.

"It could be a lot, lot better and I feel like I could be right in the mix [to win] with 17 birdies, but just a few too many sloppy things in there. The good stuff is in there, which is a good thing. That's good for a little match-play event couple up in a couple of weeks' time!"

Who will win the BMW PGA Championship? Watch Featured Groups live from 7.30am on Sunday ahead of full coverage of the final round from 11am. Not got Sky? or

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