Rory McIlroy celebrated his 21st birthday two days early with a spectacular victory in the United States yesterday – and immediately set his sights on adding the BMW PGA Championship to his staggering list of achievements.
The Northern Irishman, who turns 21 tomorrow, became the youngest winner on the US PGA Tour since Tiger Woods’ second win in 1996 by firing a course record final round of 62 to capture the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In just over two weeks’ time, McIlroy will be back in Europe to challenge a world-class field for the BMW PGA Championship over the modernised West Course at Wentworth Club in search of his second title on The European Tour from May 20-23.
McIlroy, who moved back into the World’s top 10 at Number Nine after his four stroke victory over Masters Champion Phil Mickelson, carved out a US PGA Tour record by shooting 16 under par for his last two rounds after making the halfway cut on the mark of one over par.
McIlroy, who finished fifth in last year’s BMW PGA Championship, said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Europe and playing some of the big events back home. We are now at that point in the season when you just have massive tournaments every week.
“I am at The Players Championship in America this week and then my next event is the BMW PGA Championship – outside the Majors and WGCs, those are two of the biggest events in the world.
“I’m looking forward to Wentworth and seeing the changes on the golf course, I think there will be an extra buzz at the event this year because of the changes and what people make of the new lay-out.
“Winning the BMW PGA would be a huge achievement. I went fairly close at Wentworth last year and it would great to join the list of players to have won that title.”
McIlroy’s fellow countrymen, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell will add a formidable element to Northern Irish hopes at the BMW PGA Championship.
Clarke has never won the BMW PGA but has finished second twice, in 1997 and 2000, as well as taking fourth spot in 2004.
McDowell produced his best finish in the event (tied for 13th) last year and is excited at the prospect of the 2010 Championship.
“I think when you have The European Tour, BMW and Wentworth putting everything into an event, as they have clearly done this year with the course changes and everything else surrounding the tournament, then it is a pretty exciting time,” said McDowell.
“We are all excited to get there and see the changes and play in what is just a wonderful event I a great location over a very good golf course. We can now assemble the field that the tournament deserves and makes it a proper flagship event.
“The course is a fantastic layout and the greens were the only element that let it down. But that has been fixed now and, as I said, that is testament to the efforts of Wentworth, the Tour and BMW.”
About the BMW PGA Championship 2010
The BMW PGA Championship 2010 will boast one of the strongest fields on The European Tour International Schedule, with many of the world’s best players in action pursuing a prize fund of €4,500,000. All four days will be broadcast live on both BBC Television (May 22 and 23) and Sky Sports (May 20 and 21) with extensive highlights on both channels.
Tickets are now on sale for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club from May 20-23, 2010 via
www.europeantourtickets.com
. Hospitality packages in ‘The Clubhouse’ of Wentworth Club are also available. Please visit
www.europeantourtickets.com
or call +44 800 023 2557.
