Golf Tips at $19 and $26: BMW PGA Championship

The BMW PGA Championship from Wentworth is one of the blue-riband events on the European circuit, aside from the Open Championship and World Tour Finals.

The proximity to the Tour Championships in the US and the raft of defections to the LIV Series have cost us a few big names in the line-up – although a few of the breakaway group will be in Surrey this week. Which should make for good viewing!

But this remains a proper “big tournament” on a great course, and one that does tend to throw up big-name winners… with a few of the lesser lights often getting into the frame.

Here’s a preview of the action from Virginia Water…

BMW PGA Championship

Held at Wentworth, this tournament attracts the best of the tour’s players and usually a smattering of top world talent. The event itself dates back to the 1950s, but it’s only with the advent of the European Tour that it’s taken on its current status. As such it boasts a long list of famous winners, a who’s-who of the continent’s best. The recent changes to the world schedule (primarily the switching of the USPGA Championship from August to May) has seen it shunted from its regular slot in the Spring to early September, no doubt costing it a few of the sport’s higher profile players.

Prizemoney $8 million ($750,000 to the winner)

Field 156

Highest ranked players: McIlroy (3), Rahm (6), Hovland (10), Fitzpatrick (11), Horschel (15), Lowry (23).

2021 result :

-19 Billy Horschel (28/1)
-18 Jamie Donaldson (150/1)
-18 Laurie Canter (150/1)
-18 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (200/1)
-17 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (33/1)

Other recent winners: Tyrrell Hatton (2020), Danny Willett (2019), Francesco Molinari (2018), Alex Noren (2017), Chris Wood (2016).

BMW PGA Championship: The Course

The West course at Wentworth is synonymous with this event and the Surrey course has been the venue for the PGA since 1984. Originally designed by Harry Colt, and opening back in 1926, the course has been modified in recent years, mainly to add length in order to future-proof it against technological advances in the game. The “Burma Road”, as the course is also known, remains a test for any player with its tree-lined fairways that put a real emphasis on accuracy off the tee. It plays as a par 72 laid out over 7,284 yards ending with two par 5’s on the 17th & 18th holes to further increase the drama.

72-Hole Record 267, Byeong-Hun An (2015)

18-Hole Record 62, Alex Noren (2017)

BMW PGA Championship: The Weather

A poor week of weather with a daily precipitation forecast of 80%-80%-20%-40% over the course of the tournament. Temperatures will be in the low 70s, with plenty of cloud cover throughout. Wind speeds will be moderate with a maximum of 10-12mph during the four days.

Tour Championship: Outright value bets

These are two each-way outright bets from the Golf Insider. Members receive all of his best bets for all markets – win and each-way, Top 10, Top 20, Round 1 Leader and 3-Ball groups. He covers every tournament on the PGA and European Tours.

Viktor Hovland $19 with TopSport

Hovland, you’ll recall, we backed a couple of weeks back at the Tour Championship when I said “2022 will go down as a bit of a disappointment for the Norwegian” – but this week is a chance for redemption for the 24-year-old. He didn’t play as badly as his 15th place at East Lake suggests, and for a player who historically is a good tee-to-green operator this week’s set-up should suit Hovland’s game. A class act who has won on both sides of the Atlantic, and will surely win many more tournaments, he’s certainly overdue a good week… and this could be the one. I fancy Hovland to go well.

Tyrell Hatton $26 with TopSport

Very much like Hovland, Hatton hasn’t enjoyed a year that his undoubted talent would demand. The 30-year-old is now plying his trade in the US and has suffered a similarly patchy year to the Norwegian (a best finish of 2nd in the Arnold Palmer came back in March). Recent form has been more encouraging, with a positive showing at the Open Championship (11th) followed by a smattering of good rounds in the latter part of the US season (best 8th, Wyndham Championship). Hatton though is a former winner of this tournament in 2020, so we know he can play the course and with a strong all-round game the key to his challenge this week will be hitting Greens-In-Regulation. If Hatton does show up well from tee-to-green, I expect his usually reliable putting stroke to give him every chance.

The Golf Insider is a GUN. Look at these winners, all since the start of 2020...

Sebastian Garcia-Rodriguez $126, Roger Sloan $126, Mark Hubbard $126, Tom Hoge $101, Pablo Larrazabal $91, Jeff Winther $91, Nino Bertasio $81, Sam Burns $67, Jhonattan Vegas $67, Lucas Herbert $67, Haotong Li $67, Joaquin Niemann $58, Brian Stuard $51, Ted Potter Jr $51, Russell Henley $51, Victor Perez $51, Harold Varner $51, JT Poston $51, John Catlin $46, Pablo Larrazabal $46, Max Homa $41, Talor Gooch $41.

... and there's plenty more! GET INVOLVED HERE