Noren not looking at the numbers

Dubai - Noren has been in sparkling form over the past 18 months

When it comes to dedication and work ethic, one needn't look beyond Alex Noren.
The Swede had just won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa on Sunday, but was immediately on a plane to Dubai, and despite a tiring eight-and-a-half-hour flight, Noren was out on the driving range of the Jumeirah Golf Estates on Monday, working on his game.
Noren has been in sparkling form over the past 18 months, so much so that the Swede has notched five wins on the European Tour, with four coming this season alone.
The amazing run has leapfrogged the 34-year-old from 704 in the world rankings in 2015 to ninth in the world.
Pertinently, his four Tour wins this season - the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the Omega European Masters, the British Masters and the Nedbank Golf Challenge - has pushed Noren into contention for the Race to Dubai title.
Another win at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates this weekend and other results in his favour could cap a stellar year for Noren. But he isn't thinking too far ahead and is more concerned about the process rather than the result.
"Obviously, it's nice coming in with a victory. I always thought it's easier if you have a good week before and you're a little bit more relaxed and enjoying it a lot. It's a new week and you always have your preparation and you are used to preparing in a certain way. I'm not focusing too much on results. I'm just trying to get my game in shape," Noren said at the Jumeirah Golf Estates on Tuesday.
"Overall, I'm always more happy if my game is good. Obviously, winning is unbelievable and it's the best thing in the world. But I look a lot more at where I'm at playing-wise than maybe result-wise," he added.
Noren also revealed that he has learnt a lot about different aspects of his game over the course of the season.
"I've got so much confidence by pulling a victory off at The Scottish Open and helping me to achieve the one in Crans (Omega European Masters). That the belief that you don't have to hit every shot perfect to win, I believe I thought that was the case before. You watch TV and you see the amazing players not missing a shot, but that's not actually true. As long as you manage your game and miss it on the right places and hole enough putts and chip good enough, you've got a chance. When you've done that, then you see yourself actually being able to win without feeling maybe that you have every shot - that you have to hit every shot perfect. I think that's been the difference," he felt.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Noren is not worried about the mathematical possibilities and is concentrating on his own game.
"I take it as it comes. I've never really been into looking at numbers like that. I usually don't know what the purse is, what the numbers are," said Noren.
"I don't look at that. Now the biggest question between me and my coach (Matt Belsham) is how we're going to hit that certain shot, kind of what did go well last week and what didn't go well, and keep that going. It's more about the preparations than the numbers," he added.
james@khaleejtimes.com