Tournament: BMW PGA Championship
Venue: Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Prize Fund: US$9,000,000
Race to Dubai: Tournament 35 of 42
Rolex Series: Tournament 3 of 5
Back 9: Tournament 4 of 9
Tournament Preview
Defending champion Billy Horschel is feeling good about his game after returning from hip surgery in time to defend his BMW PGA Championship title.
Horschel became the first American since Arnold Palmer to lift the trophy when he triumphed at Wentworth Club in 2021, and added title number two last season when he prevailed over Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in a play-off at the Rolex Series event.
With two further top tens in his five previous appearances, the 38-year-old feels there’s a good chance he could be competing for a third title on Sunday.
The stellar field includes a host of former BMW PGA Championship winners, not least European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who Horschel will be vying to emulate following his back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2012.
Donald has fond memories of star spotting at the event as a kid many years before lifting the trophy, and he’s enjoying being back at a venue he loves before heading to Bethpage Black for his second consecutive stint leading Team Europe against the United States.
A number of Donald’s team are also competing at Wentworth this week, with 2020 champion and Wentworth Club member Tyrrell Hatton enjoying the support of his home crowds before heading to New York.
Player Quotes
Billy Horschel: I think everyone is well aware of my fondness for this place and obviously the success I’ve had in the brief history of playing this golf course and this great tournament.
So, when I knew I was going to have that surgery, in discussion with the docs of when I could get back and looking at the schedule and the time, it looked like I with as going to be back in time for this. It’s nice to be back here. Rehab has gone very well. Still not 100 per cent with the hip but there’s no pain, which is a good thing and the golf game is in a decent spot for coming out of surgery.
Yes, I am (competitive enough to win). I was hesitant to answer that because I’ve got to keep everything in check. I haven’t played competitive golf for five months. I understand there’s a little bit of rust there but I feel like there’s a lot of good in my game.
I am not trying put too much pressure or expectations on myself this week or really the rest of the fall. I’m just trying to build my way back into competitive golf, build my way back into walking a tournament and getting any rust of the game off to be able to hit the ground running in ’26.
But I do feel like there’s enough good in my game right now, and I feel like I can have that for 72 holes, that there’s a good chance come Sunday I’ll be in a good position to hopefully challenge for another victory here.
Luke Donald: I always love coming to this event. This is our biggest event on the DP World Tour. It holds special memories for me, how much success I’ve had here, how close it is to where I grew up, a lot of memories even as a kid coming out to watch players like Ernie Els that inspired me into this game.
I remember just running around as a kid, kind of in awe of how good these players were. To me, Wentworth was this sacred place that had this tournament with all these special guys. Just watched a lot of those players.
I remember watching a lot on TV, as well, all the Match Play events here and Faldo finishing, Seve winning, all those great European players. I think that was always something that in the back of your mind, it made you feel like you wanted to be like them.
Obviously, the crowds are amazing here and it’s a great atmosphere, and obviously we’re very close to the Ryder Cup, as well. So great to have so many of our team here. Being together in one space is always important in the leadup and the buildup to Ryder Cup.
Tyrrell Hatton: I had a fun group (in the Pro-Am) and enjoyed their company and excited to be back here. This tournament is special to me, so, yeah, looking forward to getting started tomorrow and hopefully have a good week.
I’m also a member here at Wentworth, so I do try and get back here on my weeks off. It is a place I know well and has a good feel about it.
I would like to think that I have played enough tournaments with big crowds that you enjoy the atmosphere that’s created from that, and certainly this week with the home fans, their support, it’s always good fun.
It will probably be a different experience in a few weeks’ time, but you’re dealing with that as you can, and it will be a new experience in a way but I also did play an away Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. So, I don’t think there will be anything too surprising.
