The DP World Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, will once again have Rory McIlroy in the field this September.
The World No.2 has committed to taking part in the tournament as he looks to claim his second title following his win in 2014. Aside from that victory, the Northern Irishman has an impressive record in the tournament, with four more top-10 finishes including two as runner-up. Given that, he will be confident of claiming another Rolex Series title after holding off Patrick Reed to win the Dubai Desert Classic in January.
That ambition is certainly on his mind. He said: “I always love playing at the BMW PGA Championship, and I’ve had some great results and performances round the West Course in the past. I started 2023 with a win in Dubai, and Wentworth is a place where I would like to add another title.”
One of McIlroy’s runner-up finishes in the event came last year when Shane Lowry, who will also play this year, beat him by one shot. However, that wasn’t enough to prevent him from topping the Race To Dubai Rankings for the fourth time. That was just one achievement in a glorious year that saw McIlroy crowned European Number One, World Number One and FedEx Cup Champion.
McIlroy’s excellent form has largely continued into 2023. As well as that win in Dubai, he also finished tied for second at the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and claimed third at last week’s WGC-Match Play at Austin Country Club.
Next week, McIlroy is hoping to complete a career Grand Slam in The Masters at Augusta National. There are high expectations he will achieve the feat, too, particularly following a report that he drove ‘beautifully’ on a visit to Augusta National after an equipment change.
If McIlroy does win next week, it will be his fifth Major victory and first since the year of his sole BMW PGA Championship triumph to date. He would also finally claim the career grand slam, with only the Green Jacket lacking from his Major resume.
