Ian Woosnam will be bidding to become the first player since Nick Faldo in 1981 to successfully defend the Volvo PGA Championship when he tees up at Wentworth Club this week.
Twelve months ago Woosnam won his second Volvo PGA Championship title, the first being in 1988, but a number of changes have been made to the course since then to combat advances in equipment and technique.
The West Course now measures 7006 yards, almost 50 yards longer than last year. A new bunker has been built and a number of greens have been enlarged to increase the options for pin placements.
A new back tee at the 11th has added an extra 22 yards to the par four and a bunker has been built on the right hand side of the fairway. The par five 12th has also been extended by 27 yards to 510 yards with the construction of a new Championship tee. All three fairway bunkers on the left of the 18th have been deepened.
Chris Kennedy, Golf Courses Manager of Wentworth Club, said: "We have aimed to improve the course as a test of golf which can live up to the challenges coming from modern equipment. The West Course is already a difficult test and we are hoping to keep it that way."
Colin Montgomerie is looking for his first win in the Championship. Costantino Rocca, winner in 1996, will join recent winners Seve Ballesteros (1983, 1991), Bernhard Langer (1987, 1993, 1995) and José Maria Olazábal (1994). Victory for Langer would equal Faldo’s record four Volvo PGA Championship titles.
1998 European Tour winners Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Ernie Els, Tony Johnstone, Andrew Coltart, Stephen Leaney, Peter Mitchell, Thomas Levet, Patrik Sjöland and Miguel Angel Jiménez are also in the field.
The Course Record is 63 (-9) set by Wayne Riley over the West Course at the Volvo PGA Championship in 1991.
