Golfer Alex Noren Signs with IMG

Swedish professional golfer Alex Noren has signed with global sports and media company IMG.

The international rights representation agency will co-manage the 29-year old alongside his brother, bronchi Andreas Lagercrantz, who has until now has been handling the player’s affairs alone. Having won the recent Nordea Masters in Stockholm and last month’s 2011 Saab Wales Open, Noren now lies in 8th place on the Race to Dubai rankings and a career high of 69th in the official world rankings.

Noren said: “These are great circumstances in which to be joining IMG having just won in front of my home fans. IMG is the biggest management agency in global golf and, with my brother as my personal manager and IMG’s Global and Swedish team also working on my behalf, I believe they are the best people to help me navigate through the next stage of my career. I am very excited at what is ahead.”

Guy Kinnings, managing director of IMG Golf, added: “Alex has enjoyed a great season and had a fantastic win yesterday. We are very pleased he is joining IMG. Our Swedish business is really developing and we feel we are well placed to really capitalise on his success and talent.”

IMG’s Duncan Reid, based in London, will represent Noren globally, while Eva Herder will manage him in Sweden.

In other golf business news, equipment brand Ping has become the official headwear and golf bag supplier of the English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) for the coming year, and the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) has announced bottled water brand Highland Spring as the title sponsor of this year’s Scottish Junior Masters at Gleneagles.