Nick Faldo heads a class of eight Major Championship winners seeking to win the BMW Championship – the PGA Championship – on the West Course at Wentworth Club, Surrey, England, from May 26-29.
Faldo, who has won The European Tour’s flagship event a record four times, includes three Open Championship and three Masters Tournaments in his career total of 39 victories worldwide.
Ernie Els (two US Opens and one Open Championship), Retief Goosen (two US Opens), Sandy Lyle (one Open Championship and one Masters Tournament), José Maria Olazábal (two Masters Tournament), Ben Curtis (one Open Championship), Paul Lawrie (one Open Championship) and Ian Woosnam (Masters Tournament) are also chasing the €666,660 first prize from the record prize fund of €4,000,000.
Faldo said: “In 1978 the PGA Championship became my first 72-hole victory so it is a very special event for me. I have many fond memories of Wentworth and of my four wins in this Championship. I also enjoy a relationship with BMW and as they extend their involvement with British golf I know they will carry on the great traditions of this superb Championship.”
Colin Montgomerie, winner of a record seven successive European Tour Order of Merit titles, will be bidding to equal Faldo’s four wins in the BMW Championship.
Montgomerie said: “I stand on the first tee at Wentworth and I feel somehow one up because I am very confident on the West Course. After winning this Championship three times in a row from 1998, I would be delighted to capture it again and equal Nick’s record.”
Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, David Howell, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Thomas Levet, Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood, all members of Europe’s winning 2004 Ryder Cup Team, will also challenge for the BMW Championship title for which Scott Drummond is the defending champion.
