Last week's winner Alex Noren headlines the Nordea Masters in Sweden alongside world number five Henrik Stenson at Barseback G&CC
Noren And Stenson Headline In Sweden
The Nordea Masters is back this week, taking place at Henrik Stenson’s home club: Barseback Golf and Country Club just north of Malmo.
The world number five headlines a strong field including last week’s winner and new world number eight Alex Noren.
Noren shot a final round 62 last week at Wentworth to win the BMW PGA Championship for his ninth European Tour title. He won this tournament in 2011 and 2015.
Stenson came T3rd at Wentworth after a solid week at a course he’s had little success on, the signs are that his game is looking closer to its best after a poor start to 2017 by his standards.
The Open Champion told the European Tour, “It feels good to be back in Sweden and Barsebäck again. It’s extra fun to play on the golf course that I grew up on and I’m looking forward to the week.
“Thanks to all the golf that I’ve played here I know where to place the ball and where not to be and how to adjust myself to the greens and fairways and so on. So it’s an advantage to have played at Barsebäck.”
Last year’s winner at Bro Hoff Slot, Matt Fitzpatrick, is at Barseback to defend his title after a final round 66 led him to a T12th finish at Wentworth.
Defending Champion Matthew Fitzpatrick during the pro-am prior to the start of the Nordea Masters at Barseback Golf & Country Club on May 31, 2017 in Barsebackshamn, Sweden. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Fitzpatrick triumphed by three strokes last year at Bro Hoff Slot to win his second European Tour title and cement his place in the 2016 European Ryder Cup team.
There have been seven Swedish winners and seven English winners of the Nordea Masters. Past champions include the likes of Jesper Parnevik, Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Luke Donald, Vijay Singh.
Surprisingly, Henrik Stenson has never won this tournament in 13 attempts, with his best finishes coming back in 2004 and 2005 where he was runner-up.
The Masters Course at Barseback is incredibly long at 7,729 yards and is considered one of Europe’s most visually pleasing.
The wind will be around 20mph on Thursday, Friday will be wet and the weekend looks fine.
Venue: Barseback G&CC, Malmo, Sweden
Date: June 1 – 4
Course stats: par 73, 7729 yards
Purse: €1,600,000
Defending Champion: Matt Fitzpatrick (-16)
TV Coverage:
Thursday 25 – Sky Sports 4 from 10am
Friday 26 – Sky Sports 4 from 10am
Saturday 27 – Sky Sports 4 from 12pm
Sunday 28 – Sky Sports 4 from 12pm
Player watch:
Henrik Stenson – Fresh off a T3rd finish at Wentworth last week, Stenson will be keen to win the Nordea Masters for the first time in his career this week at his home course. He hasn’t won since his Open triumph and is building form.
Alex Noren – The world number eight is now a nine-time European Tour winner and has won five times since July. He will be looking to join Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie as three-time Nordea Masters winners.
Matt Fitzpatrick – The Englishman and defending champion is one of the European Tour’s most consistent players and has found some form with a 66 on Sunday at the BMW PGA Championship.
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