By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at Wentworth Club
Rory McIlroy will launch his defence of the BMW PGA Championship alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Martin Kaymer and Jamie Donaldson when play begins at Wentworth Club on Thursday.
The World Number One, who last week won his 18th worldwide professional title at the Wells Fargo Championship on the US PGA Tour, returns to Surrey, England, to defend the crown he claimed so memorably 12 months ago and will contest the first two day’s play in the familiar company of US Open Champion Kaymer and Welshman Jamie Donaldson from 0835 on Thursday.
Elsewhere, two more of the triumphant European Ryder Cup team are paired together at 1300 on Thursday as former US Open Champions Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose are joined in a threeball by the man currently ranked second in The 2015 Race to Dubai in England’s Danny Willett.
In another group full of experience, character and talent, 2008 BMW PGA Champion Miguel Angel Jimenez tees it up from 0750 with fellow cigar aficionado and 2016 Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke and Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee, while at the other end of the age spectrum, 22 year old Matteo Manassero – the 2013 winner – is joined by talented Frenchman Alex Levy and English upstart Tyrell Hatton from 1325.
With five wins between them already this season, two-time victors Anirban Lahiri and George Coetzee hit the fairways at 0800 with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, while in the next group out another two-time 2015 winner, England’s Andy Sullivan, has the guiding hand of course re-designer Ernie Els in a group completed by enigmatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson.
Former World Number One Lee Westwood has twice finished runner-up at the BMW PGA Championship, in 2000 and 2011, and the Englishman will begin his bid to finally go one better at 0825 with countryman Tommy Fleetwood and Stephen Gallacher.
England’s Tom Lewis will get The European Tour’s flagship event under way at precisely 0700 on Thursday alongside compatriot and debutant Sam Hutsby and Spaniard Jorge Campillo.
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