European Golf's Biggest Week
The BMW PGA Championship is the flagship tournament of the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and one of the most prestigious professional golf events outside the majors. It has been played at Wentworth's West Course in Virginia Water since 1984, with BMW as title sponsor from 2005. The tournament typically takes place in September and attracts a field that mixes major champions, Ryder Cup players, and rising stars from across the world.
Wentworth's West Course was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1927. It measures 7,302 yards at tournament length, running through pine, birch, and rhododendron on the 1,750-acre estate. The closing stretch is among the most dramatic in European golf – the par-5 17th and the 523-yard par-5 18th have produced countless final-day swings. Ernie Els oversaw a £6.5 million redesign in 2010, rebuilding every green to USGA specification.
A Roll Call of Champions
The winner's trophy reads like a history of European golf. Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, and Rory McIlroy have all won here. Faldo's four victories is a record. The tournament carries a purse typically exceeding $9 million, making it one of the richest non-major events in world golf.
Pro-Am and Atmosphere
The Wednesday pro-am is one of the best-attended in European golf, pairing professionals with celebrities and business figures. The atmosphere during tournament week is closer to a major than a regular tour event – grandstands around the 18th amphitheatre hold thousands, hospitality villages spread through the estate, and the Burma Road entrance becomes a procession of fans each morning. For residents in the Virginia Water and Wentworth area, it is a week when world-class sport arrives on the doorstep.
