BMW PGA Championships

Britain-only professionals, one inaugural champion, and a touring test that had no idea what it would become.

The tournament began life as the PGA Close Championship, restricted to British-born professionals and members of the PGA. Ken Bousfield claimed the inaugural title. In its early years, the occasion moved between various courses across England, building a reputation as a serious test of professional skill rather than the international spectacle it would later become.

Harry Colt's tree-lined Surrey masterpiece gave European golf a permanent home. the "Burma Road" had found its championship.

After years of rotating venues, the championship settled at Wentworth Club's West Course in Surrey. Designed by Harry Colt in the 1920s, the West Course's tree-lined fairways and demanding par-5 finishing holes gave the tournament a permanent identity. The move proved transformative. Wentworth's proximity to London and its established reputation as the "Burma Road" made it the natural stage for what would become European golf's premier domestic showcase.

One name change unlocked a world of competitors; the flagship of the European Tour was born.

The "Close" restriction was dropped, opening the championship to international competitors for the first time. Renamed simply the PGA Championship, the tournament immediately attracted a stronger field. This shift coincided with the rapid growth of the European Tour under Ken Schofield's leadership, and the occasion quickly established itself as the Tour's unofficial flagship.

Langer claimed the title twice in three years; few players have shaped Wentworth's modern identity so decisively.

Bernhard Langer's victory in 1984 signalled the tournament's growing international prestige. The German would go on to win again in 1987, cementing his status as one of the occasion's defining champions. Through the 1980s, the PGA Championship became a regular fixture on television schedules, with Wentworth's photogenic closing stretch providing reliable drama for broadcasters.

Nine years after his first PGA title, Seve returned to Wentworth and made it look like his personal stage.

Seve Ballesteros won the 1991 PGA Championship in typically swashbuckling fashion, his creative genius perfectly suited to Wentworth's demands. It was his second PGA title after his 1982 victory, and it remains one of the tournament's most celebrated moments. The Spaniard's flair and charisma embodied everything the occasion aspired to be: world-class golf played with unmistakable style.

Ernie Els rebuilt the West Course the same year BMW signed the cheque; Wentworth was never going to stay still.

BMW's arrival as title sponsor in 2005 brought significant investment and elevated the tournament's profile further. The prize fund increased substantially, attracting stronger fields from across the world. That same year, Ernie Els began a comprehensive redesign of the West Course, lengthening holes and rebuilding greens to ensure Wentworth remained a genuine test for the modern power game. Angel Cabrera won the first BMW-branded edition.

Seven shots clear. McIlroy did not win Wentworth in 2014; he owned it.

Rory McIlroy's victory in 2014 was a statement of intent from the world's best player. The Northern Irishman finished seven shots clear of the field, the largest winning margin in the tournament's modern history. It was a performance that underlined the BMW PGA Championship's ability to attract golf's biggest names and produce moments worthy of the sport's grandest stages.

Over 100,000 spectators proved that Wentworth had long outgrown the fairways.

Having been included in the inaugural Rolex Series in 2017, the BMW PGA Championship's prize fund and prestige continued to grow. Danny Willett's emotional victory in 2019, in front of a home crowd at Wentworth, drew over 100,000 spectators across the week. The tournament had firmly established itself not just as a golf showcase but as a major fixture on the British sporting and social calendar, with corporate hospitality and the Championship Village becoming integral to the experience.

Play paused mid-tournament as the nation mourned; Lowry lifted the trophy in near silence.

The 2022 edition marked a significant shift as the tournament moved from its traditional late May slot to September, aligning with the DP World Tour's restructured schedule. The occasion was overshadowed by the death of Queen Elizabeth II on the second day of play. After the first round was completed on Thursday, play was suspended on Friday as a mark of respect before resuming on Saturday. Shane Lowry eventually claimed the title in a finish that felt both muted and meaningful.