BMW PGA Championship: Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren snatches play-off victory over Adrien Saddier as Team Europe stars impress at Wentworth

Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren held off Adrien Saddier and upstaged a host of Team Europe's players to snatch play-off victory at the BMW PGA Championship.

Noren went into the day tied for the lead with Saddier at Wentworth, where both players carded final-round 68s in rainy conditions to finish on 19 under and take the contest to a play-off for a second successive year.

Both players went left of the green in two at the first extra hole, from where Noren pitched out of the rough to set up a close-range birdie and win the DP World Tour's flagship event for a second time.

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England's Aaron Rai shared tied-third with Patrick Reed, having both carded final-round 66s, while European Ryder Cup trio Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland all ended on 15 under.

Si Woo Kim was also tied-fifth after a round-of-the-day 64 and Jon Rahm moved to a share of 13th with a six-under 66, while Rory McIlroy jumped inside the top 20 after closing a final-round 65 with a stunning long-range eagle.

How Noren pipped Saddier to Wentworth victory

Playing in the final threeball alongside Saddier and Hatton, Noren grabbed the early advantage as he followed a 15-foot birdie at the third by holing from close range at the par-five next to briefly go two ahead.

Hatton matched the Swede's birdie at the third and temporarily closed within one after a brilliant tee shot set up a short birdie at the par-three fifth, where Noren missed the green and failed to get up and down.

The Englishman bogeyed the seventh after finding the greenside bunker, dropping him two behind, while Saddier ended his run of pars by making a 15-foot birdie at the 10th to pull level with Noren.

All three took advantage of the par-five 12th before Noren made an impressive birdie at the 13th to move to 18 under, with the British Masters champion scrambling par - despite finishing plugged in a greenside bunker - at the par-three next.

Saddier converted from 10 feet on the same hole to reclaim a share of the lead but squandered a six-foot birdie chance at the 16th, then rolled in from 10 feet at the par-five 17th to match the birdie of Noren from double the distance.

Both players were unable to find a birdie on the final hole in regulation, before Noren claimed the spoils at the first extra hole to secure an 12th DP World Tour title and second in as many months.

"The play-off felt a little bit easier than maybe the 72nd hole, a little bit better conditions," Noren said. "I thought I hit that one in the water, but I had a great lie so I tried to put it up here on the right side of the green and then got fortunate with a good break that the chip was sitting quite nicely.

"I saw his ball didn't catch as nice a break maybe, so it makes a difference. Sometimes it comes to you easy and sometimes you've just got to fight. Today it felt like a fight. I think he probably outplayed me tee to green, but that's how it goes."

Encouraging week for Team Europe at Wentworth

Eleven of Europe's Ryder Cup team featured this week, with nine progressing to the final day and six ending the week inside the top 20 ahead of travelling to Bethpage Black to face the United States.

Hatton mixed three birdies with a lone bogey in his final-round 70 and Fitzpatrick made four birdies in the last eight holes of a five-under 67, with Hovland completing the trio on 15 under, while McIlroy's final-round 65 contained two eagles and seven birdies.

"I played the par fives much better," McIlroy said. "That was the difference between the first three days and today. Obviously a really nice way to sign off the week, last competitive round going into the Ryder Cup. Nice to finish on a high."

Åberg birdied three of his last five holes to end alongside McIlroy in tied-20th. Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood ended tied-46th on eight under, with Justin Rose dropping to a share of 61st after rounds of 76 and 73 over the weekend.

What's next?

The DP World Tour heads to France for the FedEx Open de France, held at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche and live on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.

There will be extended live coverage from every day of Ryder Cup week, starting on Monday September 22, as Team Europe look to regain the trophy with a historic away win in the United States.

Round-the-clock coverage of the opening day's play will begin with live build-up from 9am on Friday September 26, ahead of full coverage from midday. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.

(c) Sky Sports 2025: BMW PGA Championship: Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren snatches play-off victory over Adrien Saddier as Team Europe stars impress at Wentworth