The European circuit travels from Ireland to England for the 72nd edition of the BMW PGA Championship.
The DP World Tour’s flagship event headlines the end-of-season stretch that includes some of the Tour’s most historic events, including last week’s epic Irish Open at the Trump Doonbeg, to close out the 2026 campaign.
Contested at venerable Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey (UK), the BMW will feature a top-flight field, headlined by European Ryder Cup stalwarts Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, and Justin Rose.
Additional marquee names include Joaquin Niemann, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott, Alex Fitzpatrick, Tom McKibbin, Patrick Reed, Ryan Fox, Thomas Detry, Aaron Rai, Ryan Gerard, J.J. Spaun, and defending champion Alex Noren, among others.
Here’s the rest of what you’ll need to know to prep for the 2026 BMW PGA Championship.
The Skinny
Tournament: BMW PGA Championship
Title Sponsor: BMW (German automotive)
Tour Debut: 1972 (Original)
Dates: Sep. 17-20, 2026
Where: Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Course: Wentworth (West)
Distance: Par 72, 7267 yards
Architect: Harry Colt and Ernie Els
Format: 138 players, 72-holes, stroke play, 36-hole cut
Purse: $9,000,000
Winning Share: $1,370,338
Defending Champion: Alex Noren
TV & Online
Rd 1: Th 5:00 am-1:00 pm (GOLF)
Rd 2: Fr 5:00 am-1:00 pm (GOLF)
Rd 3: Sa 7:30 am-12:30 pm (GOLF)
Rd 4: Su 7:30 am-12:30 pm (GOLF)
LINKS: Web Feed | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook
BMW PGA Championship History
Founded in 1955 as the British PGA Championship, the tournament is the European Tour’s flagship event and annually contested at the historic Wentworth Club – headquarters/home of the European PGA Tour.
As a Rolex Series event, the tournament offers a hefty $9,00,000 purse with the winner receiving over $1.3 million in prize money along with about 50 Official World Golf Ranking points. An invite to the 2027 U.S. Open, as well as the next three British Opens, is also awarded to the champion.
The host venue is the Wentworth Club’s West Course, an historic design first brought to life in 1926 by one of the game’s legendary architects, Harry Colt. Modernization efforts have been undertaken led by Ernie Els three times in the last dozen years.
No one has had more success at this event than Sir Nick Faldo, who claimed four titles over a 12-year stretch, highlighted by three victories in a four-year span (1978, 1980, and 1981).
Another great English player, Colin Montgomerie, has a singular claim of his own, as he’s the only player to have won this event three consecutive years – 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Along the way, a slew of other golf greats have added British PGA titles to their resumes, including the legendary Arnold Palmer, three-time winners Peter Allis and Bernhard Langer, two-time champs Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Luke Donald, Billy Horschel, Alex Noren, and Tony Jacklin.
Other familiar names to win here include Paul Casey, Francesco Molinari, Ryan Fox, Danny Willett, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, and Rory McIlroy, among others.
TOURNAMENT NAMES
2007-26: BMW PGA Championship
2005-06: BMW Championship
1988-04: Volvo PGA Championship
1984-87: Whyte & Mackay PGA Championship
1980-83: Sun Alliance PGA Championship
1978-79: Colgate PGA Championship
1975-77: Penfold PGA Championship
1972-74: Viyella PGA Championship
1967-71: Schweppes Open
1961-66: Schweppes PGA Close Championship
1955-60: PGA Close Championship
RECENT WINNERS
2025: Alex Noren (-19)*
2024: Billy Horschel (-20)*
2023: Ryan Fox (-18)
2022: Shane Lowry (-17)
2021: Billy Horschel (-19)
2020: Tyrrell Hatton (-19)
2019: Danny Willett (-20)
2018: Francesco Molinari (-17)
2017: Alex Noren (-11)
2016: Chris Wood (-9)
2015: Byeong Hun An (-21)
2014: Rory McIlroy (-14)
2013: Matteo Manassero (-10)*
2012: Luke Donald (-15)
2011: Luke Donald (-6)
* Won in playoff
Tournament Records
Scoring:
267 (-21) Byeong Hun An (2015)
Wins:
4 – Sir Nick Faldo (1978, ’80, ’81, ’89)
3 – Peter Alliss (1957, ’62, ’65)
3 – Bernhard Langer (1987, ’93, ’95)
3 – Colin Montgomerie (1998-2000)
Full Field & Odds
Top 10 Betting Favorites
1. Rory McIlroy (9-1)
1. Jon Rahm (12-1)
3. Ludvig Aberg (14-1)
4. Tommy Fleetwood (16-1)
4. Matt Fitzpatrick (16-1)
6. Viktor Hovland (18-1)
7. Joaquin Niemann (22-1)
7. Patrick Reed (22-1)
9. Shane Lowry (28-1)
9. Robert MacIntyre (28-1)
The full field with betting rankings and odds.
Credits: European Tour Media, Getty Images
