europeantour.com takes a look at what it would mean to the top four - Luke Donald, Matteo Manassero, Lee Westwood and Fabrizio Zanotti - should they win the BMW PGA Championship this afternoon.
Should Luke Donald win he would:-
• Move to Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.
• Join Sir Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood as English players to achieve Number One status.
• Become the 15th different player to be Official World Number One since the Rankings began in 1986.
• Claim his fifth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 96th European Tour event.
• Extend his lead at the top of The Race to Dubai with earnings of €2,581,495.
• This figure would represent his highest single-season earnings in his European Tour career, passing the €1,678,072 he won in 2010.
• Claim his second European Tour victory of the season, following the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship.
• Become the second multiple winner of the 2011 season, following Charl Schwartzel (Joburg Open and Masters Tournament).
• It would be the third consecutive English victory in the BMW PGA Championship, following Paul Casey (2009) and Simon Khan (2010).
OTHER FACTS
• His victory would be in his seventh appearance in the BMW PGA Championship.
• Maintains his wonderful recent record over the West Course having been seventh in 2007, tied third in 2008 and tied second in 2010.
• He would continue his wonderful record on the 2011 European Tour. In his five events so far this season, he won the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship, tied sixth in the WGC – Cadillac Championship, tied fourth at the Masters Tournament, second in the Volvo World Match Play Championship and now this week.
• Become the 44th different player to win the BMW PGA Championship.
• Become the 22nd Englishman to win the championship since the event began in 1955.
• It would be the third time he has won when leading or sharing the lead after 54 holes. Led at the 2004 Scandinavian Masters by Carlsberg, 2010 Madrid Masters.
• His earnings per event on the 2011 European Tour would move to €335,615 from his five events.
• It would be the sixth English victory of the 2011 season after Paul Casey (Volvo Golf Champions), Luke Donald (WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship and BMW PGA Championship), David Horsey (Trophée Hassan II), Lee Westwood (Ballantine’s Championship) and Ian Poulter (Volvo World Match Play Championship).
• The 263rd English victory in European Tour history.
• It would take him over €10 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.
• Extend his European Tour exemption until the end of 2016.
• Ninth win as a professional worldwide.
Should Matteo Manassero win he would:-
• Claim his third European Tour International Schedule victory in his 30th European Tour event.
• Move to €1,196,543 in The Race to Dubai.
• Move into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
• Become the youngest player to enter the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking, aged 18 years and 40 days, beating the previous record of Sergio Garcia, who was 19 years and 267 days in 1999.
• Hold the record for the youngest three European Tour victories. He was 17 years and 188 days at the 2010 CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar; 17 years and 363 days at the 2011 Maybank Malaysian Open and 18 years and would be 40 days at the 2011 BMW PGA Championship.
• Make European Tour history by becoming the youngest player (18 years and 40 days) to record official multiple victories in the same European Tour season, beating the previous record set by Sergio Garcia (19 years and 267 days in 1999).
• Make European Tour history by becoming the quickest player to win three European Tour events as a professional, in just 23 tournaments. This would beat the previous record of Sandy Lyle who achieved the feat in 35 events.
• Beat the previous record of Bernard Gallacher in 1969 who was 20 years and 97 days for the youngest winner of the BMW PGA Championship.
• Victory would come in just his second appearance in the championship. Was tied 17th on his debut in 2010.
• Become the second multiple winner of the 2011 season, following Charl Schwartzel (Joburg Open and Masters Tournament).
OTHER FACTS
• Should he win it would be the 11th official win by a teenager in European Tour history.
• The 17th Italian victory in European Tour history.
• The second Italian victory of the 2011 season.
• Take him into second place in the list of most prolific Italian winners on The European Tour, just two behind Costantino Rocca with five.
• Become the second Italian to win the BMW PGA Championship after Costantino Rocca in 1996.
• The 44th different winner of the BMW PGA Championship.
• Gain a European Tour exemption until the end of 2016.
• Gain a three year exemption into The Open Championship.
• Gain his largest European Tour prize of €750,000.
• Become the quickest player to pass €2 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings, from just 23 events as a professional. This would beat the record of Sergio Garcia who did it in 27 events.
Should Lee Westwood win he would:-
• Capture his 22nd European Tour International Schedule victory in his 394th European Tour event.
• Move to €1,462,238 in The Race to Dubai.
• Retain his position as Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking. It would be the second tournament he has won when he has occupied this position, following the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship.
• Second European Tour victory of the season following the Ballantine’s Championship.
• Become the first player who has occupied the World Number One spot in the Official World Golf Ranking the week of the BMW PGA Championship and won the BMW PGA Championship.
• Victory would be on his 18th appearance in the championship.
• It would beat his previous best performance in the championship of tied second in 2000.
• It would be the third consecutive English victory in the BMW PGA Championship, following Paul Casey (2009) and Simon Khan (2010).
OTHER FACTS
• He would joins Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Paul Casey as players to win both the PGA Championship and World Match Play Championship over the West Course at Wentworth.
• The second multiple winner of the 2011 season, following Charl Schwartzel (Joburg Open and Masters Tournament).
• Record multiple victories in the same season for the seventh time in his European Tour career.
• Become the 44th different player to win the BMW PGA Championship.
• Become the 22nd Englishman to win the championship since the event began in 1955.
• It would be the sixth English victory of the 2011 season. They are: Paul Casey (Volvo Golf Champions), Luke Donald (WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship), David Horsey (Trophée Hassan II), Lee Westwood (Ballantine’s Championship and BMW PGA Championship) and Ian Poulter (Volvo World Match Play Championship).
• The 263rd English victory in European Tour history.
• A third victory in 2011, following the Indonesian Masters and Ballantine’s Championship.
• Follow Ernie Els to become the second player to win more than €25 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.
• His 36th win as a professional worldwide.
Should Fabrizio Zanotti win he would:-
• Capture his first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 94th European Tour event.
• Move to €814,142 in The Race to Dubai.
• Move into the top 80 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 282nd.
• Become the second lowest player in the Official World Golf Ranking to win the BMW PGA Championship. Only Scott Drummond was lower (342nd in 2004).
• Victory would beat his previous best European Tour finishes of second in the 2009 Open de España and tied second at the 2010 KLM Open.
• It would also beat his previous best 2011 performance of tied 16th in the Avantha Masters.
• Become fourth first-time winner of the 2011 season. The first-time winners are: Nick Watney (WGC – Cadillac Championship), Nicolas Colsaerts (Volvo China Open), Thomas Aiken (Open de España) and Fabrizio Zanotti (BMW PGA Championship).
• Join Anders Hansen (2002) and Scott Drummond (2004) as players to make the BMW PGA Championship their first European Tour victory.
OTHER FACTS
• Become the first player from Paraguay to win a European Tour event.
• As a result of this victory, Paraguay would become the 36th different nation to win on The European Tour.
• The 391st different player to win on The European Tour.
• Become the 44th different player to win the BMW PGA Championship.
• As a result of this victory, Paraguay would become the 13th different country to win the BMW PGA Championship.
• Gain a five year European Tour exemption until the end of the 2016 season.
• Gain a three year exemption into The Open Championship.
• Gain a place in the 2011 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and WGC – HSBC Champions.
• Gain his largest European Tour prize of €750,000.
• His second win as a professional.
