New-look Wentworth a huge draw

THE EUROPEAN Tour begins in earnest this week with its flagship tournament, the BMW PGA Championship, boasting a €4.5m prize fund, taking centre stage at Wentworth.

In recent months many of the game’s marquee names have been plying their trade on the cash rich events in far flung destinations or on the US Tour to the detriment of tournaments closer to their home continent.

That all changes at Wentworth however this week with the big guns back in Europe and ready to challenge for a winner’s cheque of €750,000. They will find a new-look Wentworth with 18 reconstructed greens to replace those with which so many, including Pádraig Harrington, found fault in the past. The three-times Major champion will take his place in the star studded field despite a troublesome knee which requires medical treatment next week. He played a practice round at Wentworth recently and had no qualms about ending his two year ‘boycott’ of the event.

Harrington played the new west course and said: “I’m very impressed with the changes and, in particular, I’m happy to see the way that the greens are now putting. I want to win the BMW PGA Championship and I think there will be an extra buzz because of the changes.”

Harrington has enjoyed mixed results at Wentworth, finishing sixth in 2006 and 11th in 2005 along with reaching the World Match Play Championship final there in 2001 when he went down 2 and 1 to Ian Woosnam.

Harrington’s return is a huge boost for the tournament but even he is unlikely to command as big a gallery as Rory McIlroy. The Holywood youngster, still on a high after his maiden victory on the US Tour at Quail Hollow, is knocking on the door of superstardom at 21. For him also, the PGA is a very appetising target.

He said: “I went close at Wentworth last year. It’d be great to join the players to have won that title.”

McIlroy jumped into contention after a magnificent seven under par 65 in the third round before settling for fifth despite a respectable 71 in the final round. Paul Casey broke 70 on all four days to claim top prize.

Harry Bradshaw at Llandudno in 1958 is the only Irish winner of the PGA but Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell will also add to the charge to rectifying that situation.

Clarke has twice finished second, in 1997 and 2000, as well as taking fourth in 2004. McDowell produced his best finish in the event (tied 13th) last year. Of added importance is that McDowell and Clarke need to get motoring quickly for Ryder Cup recognition.

McDowell reasoned: “I think when you have The European Tour, BMW and Wentworth putting everything into an event along with the course changes and everything else surrounding the tournament, then it is a pretty exciting time. We are all excited to get there and see the changes and play in what is a wonderful event over a very good golf course. The greens were the only element that let it down but that has now been fixed.”

Casey defends his title against one of the strongest fields ever assembled for the event with five of the world’s top ten set to tee it up over the west course or, as it is commonly known, the Burma Road.

European number one Lee Westwood, Race to Dubai leader Ian Poulter and Casey are joined by course designer Ernie Els.

While many eyes will be on McIlroy, there will also be considerable focus on another exciting young talent, Matteo Manassero, the 17-year-old Italian wonderkid who is breaking records at every turn.

Manassero, who received a special invitation, is the second youngest European Tour member in history after the legendary Seve Ballesteros.

The full Irish contingent at Wentworth is Harrington, McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowry, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin and Gary Murphy.