BMW PGA remains at Wentworth

The BMW PGA Championship will continue in 2008, 2009 and 2010 to be held at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, where it has taken place since 1984. The 2008 BMW PGA Championship, which will take place on May 22-25, will be the 25th successive time that The European Tour’s flagship event has been played on the West Course and the 28th time in all as Tony Jacklin, Peter Oosterhuis and Maurice Bembridge won on the Harry Colt layout in 1972, 1973 and 1974 respectively. Denmark’s Anders Hansen won the 53rd edition in May, 2007, when he beat England’s Justin Rose in a play-off. The BMW PGA Championship has been won by players from 12 different countries including Major Championship winners Severiano Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Arnold Palmer and Ian Woosnam and, of course, eight times European Tour Order of Merit Number One Colin Montgomerie, who won three times in succession from 1998. Richard Caring, Chairman of Wentworth Club, said: “I am delighted that the BMW PGA Championship is going to remain at Wentworth. This flagship tournament of The European Tour is a classic event in the British sporting calendar. “We continue to invest in the course and all the facilities at Wentworth so to ensure we play our part alongside BMW and The European Tour in ensuring the quality of this historic and prestigious Championship continues to improve. “We wish to focus on our West Course Championships – the World Match Play has been played every year since 1964 and we look forward to the 45th edition next October – and therefore we have decided after 11 years to no longer host the Wentworth Senior Masters.” George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “I would like to express our thanks to our hosts, Richard Caring and Wentworth Club, for all the effort and commitment they continue to make. The BMW PGA Championship in the most significant event outside The Open Championship on The European Tour International Schedule, and we remain determined along with everyone at BMW and Wentworth to providing the finest facilities for the spectators as we again look forward to seeing the leading players in the world compete on the famed West Course.”