Golf: BMW PGA Championship
Venue: Wentworth, Surrey, UK.
Dates: Thursday 14th – Sunday 17th September 2023
Tournament Preview
The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth has long been one of the flagship events on the European Tour and with its new position on the golfing calendar; a stellar field has been assembled. The event which was originally known as the PGA British Championship notoriously attracts players from all over the globe and was first played in 1955. With all 4 majors being played in a 4 month period between April & August, the BMW PGA Championship has been moved from May to September in the calendar – a move which looks to be favourable with both players and fans alike. With a healthy £6 million prize pot, it is the biggest event on the European Tour, and it promises to be a fascinating 4 days of golf at the always impressive Wentworth West Course.
Betting Preview
Outright Winner
The course at Wentworth tests the best golfers and with the weather set fair, there could be plenty of big names in contention come Sunday:-
A meltdown at the Irish open last weekend proved costly for Rory McIlroy in his pursuit of another title but he looks well placed to challenge here at Wentworth, with the Ryder Cup looming.
Norwegian Viktor Hovland has picked up some superb wins on tour this season and how he would love to keep it ticking over with a strong showing here at Wentworth.
Masters champion Jon Rahm has enjoyed another excellent year on the PGA Tour and he will be desperate to transfer some of that form over to the DP World Tour here.
English Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton could be player that goes under the radar this week and he should go well in familiar conditions at Wentworth.
2022 US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick is another that should be confident arriving in Surrey and the course at the Wentworth Club should suit his game.
1st Round Leader
Producing the goods over 72 holes is often the most difficult thing for any golfer to do therefore here are our first round leader picks:-
Swede Ludvig Aberg has been making headlines for his Ryder Cup inclusion this year and how he would love to back it up with a fast start here at Wentworth.
At the other end of the spectrum is Justin Rose, a seasoned Ryder Cup veteran who finds himself in the team once more in 2023 and he will want to find form at Wentworth this week.
Frenchman Victor Perez is often in contention in key events on the DP World Tour so don’t be surprised to see him go well here.
Top Ten Finish
With so many quality players assembled here at Wentworth, getting into the winning enclosure could be tough but there are plenty of candidates to finish in the top 10 come Sunday:-
Australian Adam Scott is a prolific ball striker and conditions should suit him here at Wentworth, making him a strong candidate for a top 10 spot.
Kiwi Ryan Fox is another serial winner on the DP World Tour and whilst the field is stronger than most other events, he should be able to mix it with the big boys this weekend.
Another inclusion in the European Ryder Cup squad is Sepp Straka and the Austrian could well be firmly in the mix here in Surrey.
2023 BMW PGA Championship betxchange.com Best Bets:
Outright Winner: Viktor Hovland – 8/1
1st Round Leader: Justin Rose – 40/1
Top Ten Finish: Ryan Fox – 5/1
