Ryder Cup qualification ends: Rasmus Hojgaard secures final automatic spot as Alex Noren triumphs at the Belfry
Rasmus Hojgaard clinched the last automatic Ryder Cup spot with a one-under 71 at the British Masters, while Alex Noren claimed the title with a 15 under total.
British Masters Final Leaderboard
-16 Alex Noren (Swe); -15 Kazuma Kobori (NZ), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den); -13 K Nakajima (Jpn)
Qualified:-12 A Sullivan (Eng); -10 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), M Penge (Eng); -9 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -8 R Hojgaard (Den); -4 A Rai (Eng), M Wallace (Eng)
Hojgaard Seals Ryder Cup Spot
Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard secured the final automatic berth on Europe’s Ryder Cup team with a resilient one-under 71 at the Betfred British Masters, finishing joint 13th at eight under par. Sweden's Alex Noren claimed the tournament victory with a 15 under total.
Needing at least a top-29 finish to leapfrog Ireland's Shane Lowry into sixth place on the qualification list, the 24-year-old Hojgaard battled a tense final round at the Belfry. After three consecutive birdies from the second hole, four bogeys in eight holes tested his resolve.
"I've been so stressed on the course," Hojgaard admitted. "Every bogey was costly, but I kept battling. I'm over the moon to join Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Tyrrell Hatton as an automatic qualifier."
Captain Luke Donald will announce six wildcard picks on 1 September for the 12-man team heading to Bethpage Black, New York, on 26-28 September.
Noren's Comeback and Victory
Alex Noren, returning from a seven-month hamstring injury layoff, shot rounds of 65 and 67 to finish one shot clear of New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori and Nicolai Hojgaard. The 43-year-old Swede, a 2016 Ryder Cup veteran, secured his 11th DP World Tour title and second British Masters crown.
Despite a late bogey on the 18th, Noren sank a six-foot putt to clinch victory. "I’m just happy to get this win," he said when asked if it might influence his Ryder Cup selection.
Wildcard Contenders
England's Matt Fitzpatrick, Ryder Cup captain's urging notwithstanding, closed with a 74 to finish at 10 under, while Aaron Rai and Matt Wallace ended at four under. Nicolai Hojgaard, seeking a wildcard after his Rome 2023 appearance, tied for second alongside Kobori.
Other potential picks include Shane Lowry, Austria's Sepp Straka and Norway's Viktor Hovland, all of whom have vital match-play experience in recent Cups. Jon Rahm, the LIV Golf individual champion, is also expected to feature.
Hojgaard’s gritty 71 not only secured him a Ryder Cup spot but also capped a dramatic qualification battle, highlighting Europe’s depth ahead of Bethpage Black.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
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