BMW PGA Championship: Five things to know

The Back 9 arrives at DP World Tour HQ as Wentworth Club plays host to the third Rolex Series event of the season at the BMW PGA Championship. Here are your five things to know.

Fox defends after dramatic 2023 triumph

Ryan Fox won his first Rolex Series title 12 months ago as he birdied the last to post a closing 67 and be the best on the West Course. The New Zealander entered the final day three shots off the lead and when he made a triple-bogey on the difficult third, he could have been forgiven for thinking that his chance had gone. But he picked up two birdies on the front nine to turn in 36 and then came home in 31, birdieing the par-five 18th from six feet after laying up, to finish at 18 under, one clear of home favourites Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai. "I'm immensely proud," he said. "It's such an iconic tournament. I know Michael Campbell has won around here when it was the match play event and to add to that history here and create some of my own is very special. I've got an almost three-year-old and a four-month-old standing over there and to have them here to support with a place pretty close by where we can stay at home this week just made the week." The win helped give Fox a second consecutive top five finish on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and earn him dual membership with the PGA TOUR, where he has secured two top tens in 2024 while not missing a cut in nine DP World Tour events.

Golfing stars gather at Wentworth

This week's Festival of Golf has been one of the DP World Tour's biggest events since Tony Jacklin lifted the trophy in the tour's inaugural season in 1972. Its list of champions reads like a who's who of the game with Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald all multiple winners, joining the likes of Arnold Palmer and Rory McIlroy on the trophy. McIlroy is looking for a second win this week, as is Olympic team-mate Shane Lowry, with local hero Tommy Fleetwood and two-time worldwide winner in 2024 Robert MacIntyre also teeing it up. Sebastian Söderberg and Guido Migliozzi join them as winners of Global Swings, while English Major winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Danny Willett and Justin Rose are sure to draw plenty of attention from the bumper crowds.

They're joined by some non-golfing stars too

The Wednesday pro-am always brings a little stardust to Surrey and this year is no exception with names from across sport and entertainment taking on the West Course. Recently retired tennis great Andy Murray will make his debut in the pro-am alongside fellow Scot MacIntyre, who said: "Andy is a hero to so many people in Scotland – and across the world – and it’s pretty exciting to be playing alongside him in his BMW PGA Championship debut. He’s been absolutely dedicated to tennis during his incredible career, but it looks like he’s been playing plenty of golf since his retirement, so I’m looking forward to seeing if all that practice has paid off!” Hollywood actor Tom Holland returns for a third appearance alongside his twin siblings Harry and Sam, while footballers Gareth Bale, Troy Deeney and Jordan Pickford, rugby player Jamie George, TV stars Anton Du Beke and Michael McIntyre, cricketers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Pope and Olympic swimming medallist James Guy are all also playing.

Rolex Series returns

McIlroy will be looking for a fourth Rolex Series title in two years as the DP World Tour's collection of blue riband events returns for its third edition in 2024. The Northern Irishman successfully defended his Hero Dubai Desert Classic crown in January before he was dethroned at the Genesis Scottish Open by home hero MacIntyre. Alex Noren became the first Rolex Series winner at this event in 2017 and since then Francesco Molinari, Willett, Tyrrell Hatton, Billy Horschel, Lowry and Fox have joined him as winners in the Rolex Series era. With 8,000 Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex points on offer, a good result this week could go a long way to securing a player their place in the DP World Tour Play-Offs and the final two Rolex Series events of the season - the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship.

G4D Tour centre stage of Golf For Good initiatives

Kipp Popert will look to join Montgomerie in making three consecutive winning appearances at Wentworth as he hunts a third individual title of the season at the G4D Tour @ BMW PGA Championship. The World Number One will be joined by seven other members of the top ten and female players Daphne van Houten and Ryanne Jackson on Monday and Tuesday as Golf for Good takes centre stage at Wentworth. Suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) has been chosen as the Official Charity for the third consecutive year, with every birdie made resulting in a £10 donation while an eagle will earn a £100 donation. There are also a host of sustainability initiatives across the event including all unavoidable emissions being offset via the Gold Standard, water refill stations throughout the spectator village to reduce single use plastic, a 100% hybrid and electric BMW courtesy car fleet and much more.