The BMW Championship of 2014 will be hard pressed to match 2013’s drama, when 20-year-old Matteo Manassero won the crown at age 20 on the fourth-hole of a sudden-death playoff.
But with this being the 30th straight year at Wentworth, not to mention the 60th edition of the tournament itself, it’s a weekend that should be one to remember.
The course at Wentworth Club is par-72, 7,302-yard masterpiece with a front nine par 35 and a back nine par of 37 featuring three of the course’s four par-5 holes, capped by the monstrous 610-yard No. 17 and 539-yard No. 18.
The tournament kicks off at 7 a.m. local time with Mark Foster, Hennie Otto and Seve Benson on the tee first.
Current Race to Dubai leader Thomas Bjorn is on course at 8:15 a.m. in the company of Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and South Africa’s Retief Goosen.
The 8:25 a.m. group might be the most entertaining of the weekend: The PLAYERS Championship winner Martin Kaymer is paired with 50-year-old Open de Espana champion Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sergio Garcia.
The next trio is just as impressive: 2013 FedExCup and Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson, trying to fight out of a season-long slump, is paired with Luke Donald and Charl Schwartzel.
Defending champion Manassero is paired with Lee Westwood and Justin Rose teeing off at 12:50 p.m. They are followed by Ernie Els, Jamie Donaldson and Rory McIlroy, who has the glare of the cameras on him unfortunately this week because of his Wednesday announcement that he has broken off his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
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