Golf IQ Open Championship Player Guide - 2021

Alex Noren (bio)

Alex Noren Bio - (C) GOLFstats Inc. 2020

Alex Noren played several sports before focusing on golf at age 8. He made his first hole-in-one at age 12. He played at Oklahoma State, where he started as a freshman and was a two-time All-America selection. His teammates included Hunter Mahan and Pablo Martin.

After eight years competing for the Swedish national team as an amateur, he turned professional in 2005, placing third on the 2006 European Challenge Tour before his rookie season on the European Tour the next year. He never finished outside the top seven in his 10 European Challenge Tour starts, earning his first professional victory among those performances at the Rolex Trophy.

He won his first European Tour title at the 2009 Omega European Masters in Switzerland in September, holing a bunker shot for an eagle on the 15th hole and defeating Bradley Dredge by two shots. He also won two consecutive Shot of the Month Awards, the latter for that bunker shot.

2011 Notes: Noren won twice to finish a career-best 14th in the Race to Dubai. He captured the Wales Open in June before winning the Nordea Masters in his native Sweden, winning by eight shots over Richard Finch.

2012 Notes: Played 24 events with seven top-10s. His best finish was T-3rd at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Scottish Open.

2013 Notes: Played 20 events and made 15 cuts, including five top-10s. His best finish was T-4th at Qatar Masters, Nordea Masters, and BMW International Open. He finished 56th in the Race to Dubai.

2014 Notes: Missed all but two events due to tendinitis in both wrists. He finished 56th at the Open de Espana in mid-May. He withdrew from the BMW PGA Championship following an opening-round 76 a week later.

2015 Notes: Bouncing back from his wrist problems, Noren posted three top-11 results in his first four starts, including runner-up at the Dubai Desert Classic. He won the Nordea Masters by four shots over Soren Kjeldsen. In 17 European Tour starts, Noren finished in the top 10 four times. He placed 37th in the Race to Dubai.

2016 Notes: Despite a slow start, he enjoyed his best year to date. He earned his first top-10, a T-6th, at the Open de Espana, then a T-9th at the Volvo China Open. Nine weeks later, he finished 8th at the French Open. Over the next 18 weeks, the Swede tasted victory four times, starting with a win at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. He was two-under-par over his last seven holes to defeat Tyrrell Hatton by a shot. Four weeks later, he made it to the Aberdeen Asset Management Paul Lawrie Match Play finals, losing to Anthony Wall. At the Omega European Masters in the Alps, he overcame Scott Hend on the first playoff hole to win at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club. Six weeks later, he won by two at the British Masters, and four weeks after he won the Nedbank Golf Challenge. With that victory, he climbed to 9th in the Official World Golf Ranking, becoming the fourth Swede to enter the top 10 of the rankings and the first Swede to win four times in a single season. He finished T-23rd at the DP World Tour Dubai to rank 3rd in the Race to Dubai. He ended his year with a T-5th at the ISPS Handa World Cup, along with David Lingmerth on the Sweden team, at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Australia.

2017 Notes: He enjoyed his first top-10 of the season when he reached the quarterfinals (T-5th) of the WGC-Dell Match Play, where he lost to the eventual winner Dustin Johnson. He finished 10th at The Players Championship and won his biggest event to date with a victory at the BMW PGA Championship, thanks to a final-round 62 for a two-shot winning margin over Francesco Molinari. It was Noren's ninth win on the European Tour. He finished T-10th at the French Open. He had his second top-10 finish in a major (in 17 starts) with his T-6th at the British Open and another top-10 at the Omega European Masters. He ended the year 8th in the Race to Dubai.

2018 Notes: In his first season with a PGA Tour card, he played 18 events, making 14 cuts with three top-10 finishes. He was 43rd in the FedExCup standings. On the European Tour, he played 12 events and made 12 cuts with four top-10s. He finished 6th in the Race to Dubai. He joined the PGA Tour and in his first start of the year, finished T-2nd at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he lost a six-hole playoff to Jason Day in a Monday finish. He was 3rd at the Honda Classic, one shot away from joining the playoff between Justin Thomas and Luke List. At the WGC-Dell Match Play, Noren defeated Justin Thomas, 5 and 3, in the consolation match. He was the only player to advance as far as the quarterfinals in 2017 and '18. He returned to the European Tour. Playing at the BMW PGA Championship, he finished with a final-round 67 to finish T-3rd, three shots behind winner Francesco Molinari. He won the French Open by a shot over Russell Knox, Chris Wood, and Julian Suri. He made his Ryder Cup debut in France and went 2-1-0 for the week. He defeated Bryson DeChambeau, 5 and 4, in the singles. He finished the year with a T-9th at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, and a T-8th at the Hero World Challenge.

2019 Notes: Played in 18 PGA Tour events, making 14 cuts with five top-25 finishes. He was 129th in the FedExCup standings. Played in 16 European Tour events, making 14 cuts with no top-ten finishes. Was 67th in the Race to Dubai. He was T-17th at the WGC-Dell Match Play. In group play won two of three matches but lost to Haotong Li in a playoff. He was T-11th in the British Open, then the next week T-12th at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He was 121st in the FedExCup standings going into the Wyndham but finished T-60th to drop to 129th. He played on the PGA Tour in 2020 off his 126-150th FedExCup standings. In the fall, he played on the European Tour and was T-15th at the Alfred Dunhill Links and finished his year T-44th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

2020 Notes: Only played on the PGA Tour in 17 events and made 13 cuts with four top-ten finishes. He was 52nd on the FedExCup points list. Was T-10th at the RSM Classic after the break and finished T-3rd with rounds of 66-66 at the 3M Open, three shots back of winner Michael Thompson. He finished T-9th at the Barracuda Championship. In the FedExCup playoffs was T-8th at the Northern Trust and T-40th at the BMW Championship.

2021 Notes: Played in 25 PGA Tour events, making 18 cuts with three top-ten finishes. He was 33rd in the FedExCup standings. Held a share of the lead after the first round 64 at the Farmers Insurance Open before finishing T-37th. Shot a final-round 64 to finish T-4th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He represented Sweden at the Toyko Olympic Games, finishing T-16th. In the FedExCup playoffs shot a final round 66 to finish T-4th at the Northern Trust, four shots back of the Tony Finau/Cameron Smith playoff. Shot 67-66 over the weekend to finish T-9th at the BMW Championship.

2022 Notes: Played in 22 PGA Tour events, making 15 cuts with three top-ten finishes. He was 70th in the FedExCup standings. He played in 8 events on the DP World Tour, making six cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was 13th in the Race to Dubai. Shot 67-68 over the weekend to finish T-6th at the Phoenix Open, just two shots back of the Scottie Scheffler/Patrick Cantlay playoff. He was T-5th at the Honda Classic, six shots back of winner Sepp Straka. He finished 2nd at the Barracuda Championship, a point back of winner Chez Reavie. It was his second career runner-up on the PGA Tour and first since losing in a playoff at the 2018 Farmers Insurance Open. In the FedExCup playoffs, he withdrew from the FedEx St. Jude Championship after a first-round 73 and was T-52nd at the BMW Championship. On the DP World Tour was T-2nd at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, a shot back of winner Ryan Fox. He was T-2nd at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, two shots back of Jon Rahm.

2023 Notes: Played in 29 PGA Tour events, making 19 cuts with four top-ten finishes. He was 101st in the FedExCup standings. Held a share of the lead after the first round of the Houston Open before finishing T-4th, eight shots back of winner Tony Finau. He was T-5th at the Abu Dhabi Championship, four shots back of winner Victor Perez. Was T-10th at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed and T-9th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Played in six fall events and was T-3rd at the Shriners Children's Open, two shots back of winner Tom Kim. He was 2nd at the Bermuda Championship, two shots back of the winner Camilo Villegas.

2024 Notes: Was T-9th at the Cognizant Classic. Shot 66-65 over the weekend to finish 3rd at the CJ Cup of Byron Nelson, two shots back of winner Taylor Pendrith. Shot a final round 65 at the Genesis Scottish Open to finish T-10th and get one of the last spots to play in the Open Championship.

- World Rank: 67 - Born: Jul 12, 1982, Stockholm, Sweden - Age: 42y 6m 8d Back to Field

Click on any table column header to sort by that column
This Past Year: Another solid year in 2020, he only had one top-ten, but ten top=25 finishes which shows some consistency. His good play continued into 2021 he made the cut in his last seven events and was in the top-20 in five of those events
Past Performance Results and Statistics
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (last 10 years) Open Championship Home Page
YearDateCoursePlaceScoreToPar1st2nd3rd4thMoney
2024Jul 21,2024Royal Troon Golf ClubT13285169757170$248,667
2023Jul 23,2023Royal Liverpool Golf ClubT23284068757170$121,500
2022Jul 17,2022Old Course at St. AndrewsDNP
2021Jul 18,2021Royal St. George's Golf ClubCUT1455747100$0
2019Jul 21,2019Royal Portrush G.C.T11281-368716874$171,700
2018Jul 22,2018Carnoustie Golf LinksT17282-270716774$109,714
2017Jul 23,2017Royal Birkdale G.C.T6276-468726967$281,000
2016Jul 17,2016Royal Troon Golf ClubT46290670727375$25,227
2015Jul 20,2015Old Course at St. AndrewsDNP
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP STATS (All)
Played In12
Rounds Played39
Avg Place45
Scoring Avg71.74
Low Round67
Wins0
Top 10s2
Top 25s7

Tournament Record (last 12 months) PGA TOUR Record - European Tour Record
DateNameTourCoursePlaceScoreToPar1st2nd3rd4thMoney
Oct 6,2024Alfred Dunhill Links Champ EUROld at St. AndrewsT12272-1671716466$71,177
Sep 22,2024BMW PGA Champ EURWentworth Club (West )T30278-1069696971$74,700
Aug 25,2024BMW Champ PGACastle Pines Golf ClubT9281-768687075$580,000
Aug 18,2024FedEx St. Jude Champ PGATPC SouthwindT30275-573656770$130,000
Jul 21,2024Open Champ MAJORRoyal Troon Golf ClubT13285169757170$248,667
Jun 30,2024Rocket Mortgage ClassicPGADetroit Golf ClubCUT1462717500$0
Jun 16,2024U.S. OpenMAJORPinehurst C.C. (No 2)CUT1488737500$0
Jun 9,2024Memorial TournamentPGAMuirfield Village G.C.T22292470747573$200,200
Jun 2,2024RBC Canadian OpenPGAHamilton Golf & Country Club CUT1422707200$0
May 19,2024PGA Champ MAJORValhalla Golf ClubT12272-1267707065$359,943
May 12,2024Wells Fargo Champ PGAQuail Hollow ClubT24285167757073$166,500
May 5,2024THE CJ CUP Byron NelsonPGATPC Craig Ranch3263-2164686665$655,500
Apr 21,2024Corales Puntacana Champ PGACorales Golf ClubT23277-1170686970$31,600
Apr 7,2024Valero Texas OpenPGATPC San Antonio (Oaks )T14283-573726672$131,602
Mar 31,2024Texas Children's Houston OpenPGAMemorial Park Golf T11271-969716665$211,575
Mar 17,2024 Players Champ PGATPC SawgrassT19279-971707068$285,536
Mar 4,2024Cognizant ClassicPGAPGA National Champion T9272-1267706867$210,536
Feb 11,2024WM Phoenix OpenPGATPC ScottsdaleT53280-469717070$20,529
Feb 4,2024AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AmPGAPebble Beach Golf LinksT26208-87168690$143,800
Jan 21,2024 American ExpressPGAPete Dye Stadium T25269-1962686970$63,980
Tour Statistics (Last 12 Mo)
Events Played20
Rounds Played73
Avg Place32
Scoring Avg69.56
Low Round62
Wins0
Top 10s3
Top 25s13
Recent, Major and Career Results
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Past 12 Months 22 65.18 0 2 9.1% 3 13.6% 12 54.5% 23 36.5% 63 36 57.1% 11 50.0% 70.90 $1,099,663
All Career Majors 35 68.89 0 2 5.7% 8 22.9% 17 48.6% 20 19.4% 103 22 21.4% 20 57.1% 72.70 $1,314,870
Total Career Results 154 50.69 0 19 12.3% 53 34.4% 109 70.8% 184 38.1% 483 247 51.1% 71 46.1% 70.80 $11,999,525
Note: All tables can be sorted by column clicking on the column headers. For "avg place", a missed cut or wd counts as a place of 100. "Within 5" is the number of times the player has entered the final round within 5 shots of the lead.

Best and Worst Courses and Tournaments: Best on the West Coast swing, seems to make a lot of cuts while playing those events in January and February.

Career Performance per Month
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
January 8 45.50 0 1 12.5% 2 25.0% 6 75.0% 14 48.3% 29 20 69.0% 2 25.0% 70.00 $858,755
February 17 44.59 0 3 17.6% 7 41.2% 13 76.5% 21 40.4% 52 28 53.8% 10 58.8% 70.40 $1,741,841
March 23 51.65 0 2 8.7% 7 30.4% 17 73.9% 11 18.3% 60 25 41.7% 11 47.8% 72.10 $2,113,360
April 11 63.00 0 0 0.0% 3 27.3% 6 54.5% 6 21.4% 28 13 46.4% 8 72.7% 71.90 $316,054
May 14 48.93 0 1 7.1% 5 35.7% 10 71.4% 19 39.6% 48 26 54.2% 7 50.0% 70.70 $952,394
June 17 72.12 0 0 0.0% 3 17.6% 8 47.1% 12 24.0% 50 14 28.0% 10 58.8% 72.20 $468,318
July 21 48.48 0 6 28.6% 10 47.6% 13 61.9% 26 41.3% 63 32 50.8% 14 66.7% 70.60 $2,227,995
August 19 49.32 0 4 21.1% 5 26.3% 15 78.9% 28 44.4% 63 29 46.0% 5 26.3% 70.50 $1,524,470
September 4 30.00 0 0 0.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0% 7 43.8% 16 11 68.8% 0 0.0% 69.90 $297,948
October 10 33.00 0 0 0.0% 5 50.0% 10 100.0% 17 42.5% 40 25 62.5% 1 10.0% 70.50 $750,508
November 9 43.11 0 2 22.2% 4 44.4% 7 77.8% 22 68.8% 32 23 71.9% 2 22.2% 69.00 $747,882
December 1 99.99 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 50.0% 2 1 50.0% 1 100.0% 71.50 $0
TOTALS154 - 0 19 12% 53 34% 109 71% 184 38% 483 247 51% 71 15% - $11,999,525

Career Performance per Season
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Spring 48 53.46 0 3 6.3% 15 31.3% 33 68.8% 36 26.5% 136 64 47.1% 26 54.2% 71.60 $3,381,808
Summer 57 55.81 0 10 17.5% 18 31.6% 36 63.2% 66 37.5% 176 75 42.6% 29 50.9% 71.00 $4,220,783
Fall 23 36.43 0 2 8.7% 11 47.8% 21 91.3% 46 52.3% 88 59 67.0% 3 13.0% 69.90 $1,796,338
Winter 26 47.00 0 4 15.4% 9 34.6% 19 73.1% 36 43.4% 83 49 59.0% 13 50.0% 70.30 $2,600,596
TOTALS154 - 0 19 12% 53 34% 109 71% 184 38% 483 247 51% 71 15% - $11,999,525
Spring = March, April, May - Summer = June, July, August - Fall = September, October, November - Winter = December, January, February

Career Performance per Swing
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
West Coast Swing 18 48.33 0 2 11.1% 6 33.3% 13 72.2% 26 41.3% 63 38 60.3% 8 44.4% 70.30 $1,614,446
Florida Swing 18 51.94 0 3 16.7% 6 33.3% 12 66.7% 19 31.7% 60 32 53.3% 8 44.4% 71.30 $1,707,657
New England Courses 14 50.86 0 3 21.4% 5 35.7% 10 71.4% 17 35.4% 48 19 39.6% 4 28.6% 70.80 $1,308,416
Texas Swing 13 28.54 0 3 23.1% 8 61.5% 12 92.3% 16 53.3% 30 24 80.0% 7 53.8% 69.20 $2,180,972
Desert Courses 7 38.43 0 0 0.0% 3 42.9% 6 85.7% 10 52.6% 19 15 78.9% 3 42.9% 69.30 $389,906
Ocean and Sea Courses 22 53.14 0 2 9.1% 9 40.9% 15 68.2% 24 32.9% 73 28 38.4% 8 36.4% 71.60 $1,324,430
TOTALS92 - 0 13 14% 37 40% 68 74% 112 38% 293 156 53% 38 13% - $8,525,827

Career Performance per Grass Type
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Bent Greens 66 48.08 0 10 15.2% 24 36.4% 49 74.2% 84 39.3% 214 103 48.1% 27 40.9% 70.80 $5,222,989
Bermuda Greens 54 46.13 0 8 14.8% 23 42.6% 40 74.1% 73 45.1% 162 100 61.7% 26 48.1% 70.40 $5,028,609
Paspalum Greens 7 72.57 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 57.1% 8 36.4% 22 10 45.5% 3 42.9% 71.50 $85,457
Poa Greens 23 53.65 0 1 4.3% 6 26.1% 16 69.6% 18 23.1% 78 33 42.3% 11 47.8% 71.30 $1,662,470
Fescue Greens 4 99.99 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 14.3% 7 1 14.3% 4 100.0% 75.60 $0
TOTALS154 - 0 19 12% 53 34% 109 71% 184 38% 483 247 51% 71 15% - $11,999,525

Career Performance per Short and Long Courses
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Less Than 7000 yards 3 37 0 0 0% 1 33% 3 100% 7 58% 12 7 58% 0 0% 70.00 $111,260
Greater Than 7400 yards 58 56 0 6 10% 15 26% 40 69% 46 26% 178 72 40% 26 45% 72.00 $4,232,679