Five things to know as the European Tour returns to Wentworth Club for the 2020 BMW PGA Championship.
Rolex Series continues
The BMW PGA Championship is the third Rolex Series event of the reshaped 2020 season and follows on from Aaron Rai’s play-off victory over Tommy Fleetwood at last week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
Former World Number One Lee Westwood claimed the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA in January, and the fourth and final Rolex Series event of the year will return to the Middle East for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, in December.
Willett defends
Danny Willett held his nerve down the stretch to overcome Spaniard Jon Rahm in a dramatic final round of the 2019 BMW PGA Championship to win his second Rolex Series title.
The Major Champion returns this week to the famous West Course in Surrey and will attempt to become the first man to successfully defend the BMW PGA Championship since countryman Luke Donald achieved the feat by defending his 2011 title in 2012.
Star studded field
Willett, the 2016 Masters Tournament Champion, is one of six Major Champions competing in the field at Wentworth this week alongside two-time Major Champion Martin Kaymer, reigning Open Champion Shane Lowry, three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington, 2018 Masters Champion Patrick Reed and 2013 U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose.
Reed, who currently leads the 2020 Race to Dubai, also tops a list of 11 players from the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking this week as he returns to the BMW PGA Championship for a second consecutive year.
A different test
Last year marked a new chapter in BMW PGA Championship history, with a move from its traditional May date to September. This year's tournament takes place a month later, presenting yet another different challenge for players.
And while the tournament had in recent years marked the beginning of the British sporting summer, the transition moved the tournament towards the business end of the Race to Dubai, with crucial points at stake in the race to become European Tour Number One.
#GOLFFORGOOD
GolfforGood continues this week at Wentworth with a number of initiatives taking place throughout the week.
This week the European Tour will reward a local hero of the Covid-19 pandemic with an unforgettable BMW PGA Championship experience. The winner will receive a Hospitality Experience at the 2021 BMW PGA Championship, a BMW 5-Series to drive during the event week next year, and a four-ball at the Wentworth Club’s West Course
Title sponsor BMW will also make a £71,675.01 donation - the value of the all new 530e Touring - to tournament’s Official Charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, for the first hole-in-one on the par three 14th hole during the four tournament rounds
And while fans can’t take on the charity mega-putt in person this year, they can create their own #MegaPuttChallenge from home and donate to the Alzheimer’s Society. All entries are via social media tagging #MegaPuttChallenge and #BMWPGA, with the most creative video putt winning tickets to next years event. Link to donate: et.golf/DONATEBMWPGA. Entries close at midnight on Sunday October 11, 2020.
