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Alex Noren has 11 international wins, he has played in the Ryder Cup and he has represented Sweden at the Olympics. But come Sunday, he’ll have a chance to do something he has never done before — win on the PGA Tour.
After rounds of 61-66 over the first two days, Noren shot a 4-under 67 around Port Royal Golf Course on Saturday and holds a one-shot lead at the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship with 18 holes to play.
The Swede, who tied for third at the Shriners Children’s Open a month ago in Las Vegas, kept the Bogeys off the card during his third round. Despite only hitting eight fairways, Noren was crisp with his irons, missing just four greens.
In 27 previous starts this season, Noren has six top-25 finishes and three top-10s. His last worldwide win came at the 2018 HNA Open de France.
Camilo Villegas of Colombia was tied for the lead through 54 holes last week in Mexico but was chased down by Erik van Rooyen and had to settle for a T-2 finish. Now, thanks to rounds of 67-63 over the first two days and a 6-under 65 on Saturday, Villegas is once again in prime position to earn his first PGA Tour win since 2014.
He’s alone in second with 18 holes to play, just one shot back of Noren. Villegas was 1 under through seven holes but birdied four straight from Nos. 9-12. He added one more with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th after a fantastic second.
If Villegas were to win Sunday, it’d be one of the best feel-good moments of the season.
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