Full ASAP transcripts can be found here…
Tournament Preview
Shane Lowry arrives at this year’s BMW PGA Championship in pursuit of his second win in as many weeks.
The Irishman produced a stellar performance on home soil mere days ago, claiming his second Amgen Irish Open title by a record-breaking 11 shots in County Clare.
The 2019 Open Champion and now seven-time DP World Tour winner returns to Surrey in the hope of adding more success to his name, having sealed victory at Wentworth Club in 2022. That win, his last on golf’s Global Tour prior to the weekend’s success, marked his second at a Rolex Series event.
Lowry, who has enjoyed an impressive record over the famous West Course with a further four top tens and 11 top twenty finishes since his debut in 2010, will be joined by Champion Golfer of the Year Ryan Fox as another player hoping to add to his past success.
The New Zealander marked his first win on the Rolex Series at the 2023 BMW PGA Championship, recovering from an early triple-bogey to post an impressive Sunday 67 and finish one shot ahead of English pair Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai.
His victory at Royal Birkdale earlier this year, where he became just the second Kiwi golfer to win the Open Championship, has made for a memorable campaign to date, with a second title at one of the DP World Tour’s premier events now in his sights.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood will also be aiming for glory, as he chases his maiden win on home soil. The World Number Eight and reigning FedExCup Champion, who has been victorious on the DP World Tour on eight occasions, will tee it up at Wentworth for a 15th consecutive season.
Compatriot and 2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, the highest-ranked Englishman in this year’s field, will too be looking to please the home crowds and etch his name into the history books on the outskirts of London.
Player Quotes
Shane Lowry: Not really had much time to reflect on much to be honest. It’s been a busy few days since I finished on 18 on Sunday but it’s been great. There’s a few times where I spent the few days after a tournament been pretty miserable this year. So it’s nice to, it was actually – even though I was quite tired it was nice to get to Adare on Monday and spend some time with the lads and do that and then nice to go home and see my folks. Had a nice few days and obviously back here this week and back to work. Get rest this afternoon and tomorrow morning and get after it again.
I think you just have to look outside. You look at the posters around the tournament, and since I’ve come here back in 2010 for the first time, I’ve always loved coming here and just loved the area itself, it’s just a nice place to be. I mean, a golf course I always play okay around here. Just always really enjoyed it. It’s always felt like one of the biggest tournaments of the year, which it is, and yeah, it’s just a good week.
It’s something we talked Sunday evening with my team, into Monday. We talked about you have to go through the tough times to experience the good times, and it’s very, very hard at times to go through those tough times. But I’d go through them a million times over to experience what I did on Sunday.
Ryan Fox: Obviously it feels like everything’s changed at the minute. I’m still getting used to that. Everything is busier. I feel like time management is hard. It’s the stuff you kind of expect after doing something like that, and yeah, still a process of getting used to it but it’s nice to be back here and I do have great memories around here.
I’m looking forward to the week and kind of treat the golf course a little bit like a sanctuary that I can still control what’s going on for the most part out there, and kind of go with the flow.
We had a good day today. I mean, it helps, I played with Roger Steele, who plays off the forward tees as an amateur and hitting it 340 in the air. That makes this golf course a lot easier like that. We had fun. Had enough good shots to come back tomorrow as well, so that’s always good. Flowed nicely. The golf course is in good shape considering, I heard it’s been a drought here and it’s a lot greener and softer than I expected it to be. So I’m looking forward to the challenge it’s going to pose to us this week.
Tommy Fleetwood: It’s always lovely. I think this tournament, it’s our Flagship Event for the Tour, isn’t it, and I think everything about the week, the course, it’s very historic and very well-known and I think it’s very special and the crowds are always amazing.
Of course, being an Englishman, playing in England is always really cool. Always been really lucky with the support we get. I think it’s great. I’ve never quite managed to play as well as I would have liked; it’s been one of those for me. But I always feel like there’s a chance. I like the way the course sets up. I’m looking forward to getting started.
It was great (visit to Adare Manor on Monday). I would say any time you are involved in any kind of Ryder Cup preparation, get-together, just being part of that, whether you call it a squad or whatever you call it, it’s a massive privilege to be involved in that. I think it’s very motivating, as well. Always enjoy getting together with the players. We spend so much of our time doing individual preparations, working on your own game and stuff, and as much time as we do spend during practise rounds, there’s always that element of you’re trying to get your game. But I do enjoy that environment. We had a great time together.
Matt Fitzpatrick: It’s always great to be back at this tournament. I think it’s just really nice to play in front of your home crowd and the atmosphere is always great from get-go on Thursday. So, yeah, it’s great to be back.
It would be amazing (to win in front of a home crowd). Obviously the highlight of the year for the DP World Tour. I think it’s arguably the best event on the Tour, and to sort of etch your name in history with some of the winners of this event would be an amazing feeling.
2026 BMW PGA Championship
Venue: Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
2025 Champion: Alex Norén (SWE)
Prize Fund: US$9,000,000
Points: 8,000
Race to Dubai: Tournament 35 of 42
Back 9: Tournament 4 of 9