Alex Noren has an outside chance of topping the Race to Dubai standings in the UAE this weekend but the Swede is only concentrating on playing well at the European Tour’s season-ending event.
Noren, 34, climbed into the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time after rallying for a six-stroke victory after a final-round 63 handed him the Nedbank Golf Challenge title at the Gary Player Country Club on Sunday.
In order to finish top of the money list, Noren must finish in the top two at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, which starts on Thursday, and then hope the other three contenders are not among the front runners.
More golf:
• Race to Dubai: List of the final 60 golfers competing at DP World Tour Championship
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• Race to Dubai: Alex Noren clinches Nedbank title to move to third in the standings
Noren is third on the money list but played down the possibility of another sensational come-from-behind success after registering his fourth victory of the season.
“This is out of my mind, I’ll just try to play some good golf next week and we will see what happens,” he said before leaving Sun City.
Compatriot Henrik Stenson is favourite to wrap up the title of Europe’s top golfer with a 299,675-point lead over nearest rival, Masters champion Danny Willett.
Noren is 633,436 adrift of his compatriot but if he finishes first or second and Stenson is outside the top eight and Willet outside top two, then he can leapfrog them both in the standings.
Rory McIlroy, who skipped the last two European Tour events, will only retain his status as the top player on the circuit if he wins in Dubai and Stenson finishes outside the top 45, Willett outside the top five and Noren outside the top two.
On Sunday, the Northern Irishman said he was more interested in trying to displace Australian Jason Day at the top of the world rankings than retaining his order of merit crown.
“I still have a lot to play for this week,” the world No 2 told Sky Sports. “If I can win I will finish the year as world No 1, so that’s a huge incentive.”
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