Rory McIlroy has confirmed his participation in the 2017 BMW PGA Championship – the first tournament in the European Tour’s new Rolex Series, a series of eight tournaments, all with a minimum prize fund of $7million – with the Northern Irishman set to headline the field at a revamped Wentworth Club from May 25-28.
The four-time Major Champion, who won the prestigious title in 2014, will take on the new-look West Course, which has been undergoing extensive changes since last year’s BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy said: “The BMW PGA Championship is the first Rolex Series event and I’m really excited for that. I think it’s a huge thing for the European Tour and I want to be a part of it. BMW have been a huge supporter of golf for a number of years now and I’m happy to come back to Wentworth.”
McIlroy announced his participation in the BMW PGA Championship at the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni where he is a guest of tournament host Ernie Els, the South African who has also overseen the course changes at Wentworth.
The World Number Two will be looking to reclaim the title he won three years ago when he came from seven shots behind with a closing round of 66 to claim a memorable victory at the Wentworth Club. That victory sparked an unforgettable summer for the Ryder Cup star who went on to win The Open Championship, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the US PGA Championship.
“I’m excited to get back to Wentworth and hopefully I can emulate some of the golf I played in 2014,” said McIlroy. “The BMW PGA Championship feels like the start of the British golf season and you know everyone is excited. Playing in front of those fans is always pleasure because they are so knowledgeable and they come out in their numbers, so it’s always great to play in front of them.”
As part of the Rolex Series, the BMW PGA Championship will feature significantly enhanced television and digital production, as well as increased hours of coverage distributed worldwide, while after-play concerts and a star studded celebrity Pro-Am will also be part of the line-up of entertainment.
