Richard Bland is one of our picks to win the 2021 BMW PGA Championship (image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
This week, the European Tour returns home to the Wentworth Club for its premier event: the 2021 BMW PGA Championship. Star-studded and filled with the elites of the European Tour, the best of the best will be battling it out this week.
There is much on the line, including an $8 million purse, 8,000 Race to Dubai points, 64 WGC points and exemptions into the next US Open and the next three Open Championships for the winner.
THE WENTWORTH CLUB: HOST AND HOME THIS WEEK
The BMW PGA Championship was first contested in 1955. Prior to 1984, the tournament was played at a variety of courses across England, including Royal St. Georges, Royal Birkdale, Saunton, before making its permanent home at Wentworth.
Since 1984, the West course at Wentworth had hosted the tournament. Originally designed in 1926 by Harry Colt, the course remained much the same until 2005, when it received modifications by Ernie Els. Els aimed to modernize the course slightly, increasing its total length by 310 yards and adding thirty bunkers spread across the holes. For the BMW PGA Championship, the West course plays as a par 72 at 7,302 yards in length.
The course record is a 62, shot by Robert Karlsson in 2010, Thomas Bjorn in 2014 and Alex Noren in 2017, all during European Tour events.
The Wentworth Club and its estate is also the headquarters for the European Tour, acting as its front office and central location.
SPOTLIGHT: 2011 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
The BMW PGA Championship is one of my favourite tournaments
to watch on the European Tour since it was the setting an amazing moment
in golf, in my opinion.
In the 2011 edition of the tournament, World
Numbers One and Two, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, respectively, had
finished their final rounds tied for the lead; a sudden death followed,
on the par 5 18th hole. On the line was not only the
tournament but also the title of World Number One, since Donald and Westwood were close in the world rankings.
Both hit great tee shots and both had roughly the same distances for
their approach shots to the green. Donald went first and landed his ball safely on
the green, close to the flag. Westwood responded by landing his shot
just inside Donald's but then watched his ball roll off the water-lined
green into the water, resulting in Donald winning the tournament and the
title of World Number One. So much was on the line at that moment and Westwood, after
seeing Donald's shot, knew he had to go for it. It was tense, yet
exciting; that's why I'll never forget it. Moments like this seem to
only happen at big tournaments like this. Luke also managed to defend
his title the next year.
OUR PICKS THIS WEEK
It's a packed field this week, but there was something else we needed to consider when making our picks. The Ryder Cup is just a few weeks away. For some European golfers, the BMW PGA Championship will be a spotlight
for them to plead their Ryder Cup case to European Captain Padraig Harrington,
who is in the field this week. Given that, here's who we have winning it:
1) Richard Bland
2) Francesco Molinari
3) Ian Poulter
Not the youngest picks in the field by quite a margin, but its for good reason. It's been great to watch the revival of Richard Bland over the past year with his first European Tour win at the British Masters, plus he's coming off a good finish at the Italian Open. Molinari I think will make the Ryder Cup team as a captain's pick, and will most likely be using the tournament this week as prep for it. Poulter has had a good year and is coming off a decent end to his PGA Tour season. He also makes it as a captain's pick, hands down, who else is going to deliver the post?
Play kicks off very early Thursday morning, but the weather is forecasted to rain for the first two rounds. This is sure to add some more drama to the tournament.
Stay tuned for our Weekend Update post to see all the storylines and drama heading into the weekend.
-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews
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