Published: 22 June 2026
In the high status world of European golf, the PGA Championship at Wentworth is an incredible modern sporting institution. The BMW PGA Championship 2026 is held from the 15th to the 20th of September this year with tournament rounds scheduled for Thursday the 17th to Sunday the 20th.
All the action takes place at Virginia Water, a Surrey village surrounded by woodland and immaculate countryside, just 25 miles from the city of London. Golf fans from around the world will be drawn to this beautiful English enclave for a real festival of the sport with the greatest players on the planet vying for the title.
The Wentworth Club
The prestigious Wentworth Club has been a hugely influential presence for the game of golf for well over a century. Its location provides something a little different than the dramatic topography often favoured by links courses and other major estates. Instead, here at Virginia Water, the landscape is controlled and shaped by the dense pine and birch woodland that envelops it.
It was originally established in 1922 just as the discipline of golf architecture was really beginning to appear as an integral element to the worldwide development of the sport. The world-famous West Course, that the PGA Championship has been played out upon since 1984, opened just four years later and bears all the distinctive hallmarks of its creator, Harry Colt. He was a central figure during the Golden Age of course design that sought to use the natural landscape provided instead of fighting to fit features within it. Alongside his other standout designs at Sunningdale in Berkshire, Royal Liverpool in Hoylake and Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the West Course is considered to be the pinnacle of his work in setting the standards for how the game was played in the 20th century.
Exploring The West Course
The players at the 2026 BMW PGA Championship will be entering an arena that does not immediately appear to be an overwhelming challenge. However, as any professional will attest, this is a course that prioritises real strategy over power and brute strength. With additional updated design carried out around 2010 by the celebrated modern golfing icon, Ernie Els, the West Course was sharpened further to push for even more focus on strategy. Control, calm heads and a consistent short game will be the key to success for all involved this September.
Dramatic Decisions & Defining Moments
For many modern courses and tournaments, the scoring spreads relatively evenly across players’ cards. Wentworth, however, is historically defined by a certain number of decisive moments, not necessarily through shot difficulty but the decisions they force one to take under high pressure.
- The fourth & twelfth holes offer par fives to take control if aggression can be well controlled
- The exacting eighth hole exposes even the slightest error of judgement for distance
- A perilously tight driving corridor at the fourteenth usually separates the leading pack
- The drama of the eighteenth hole, with water guarding the approach, is a volatile final trial that demands the strongest nerves
All of which dictates that the BMW PGA Championship is extremely unlikely to be decided early. This is an event tailored to spectators where momentum shifts constantly across 72 holes of competition.
Who Will Triumph at Wentworth?
Although the full field of players will not be confirmed until much closer to the event itself, there are clues through form and play styles that allow the golfing world to identify likely candidates for success.
Rory McIlroy
There is little left to be said about the proven quality of Rory McIlroy. His ability to shape tee shots and control trajectory to the green has seen him dominate major tournaments in recent years. The current world number two is certain to be a great fit for the demands of the West Course as his 2014 victory by a one shot margin over Shane Lowry demonstrated. Experience and incredible talent are par for the course in McIlroy’s game in 2026, making him the one to watch.
- Former champion here
- Elite tee-to-green control in pressurised environments
- Game suited to a strategy across tree-lined routes
Alex Norén
One has to go back over a quarter of a century to uncover a player capable of consecutive titles at Wentworth. The sheer force of Colin Montgomerie here in 1998 and 1999 is certainly something that the tactically astute reigning champion, Alex Norén will be looking to emulate. As a star product of the Swedish golfing system, Norén has built a reputation on sound decision making for when to attack and when to show restraint. All attributes that often bring the greatest rewards at Wentworth and the West Course.
- Defending BMW PGA Champion
- Excellent game on the greens
- Proven strategy and on tighter course layouts
Viktor Hovland
The relaxed and laid-back attitude of Norwegian Viktor Hovland is in sharp contrast to the ultra-precise and superbly engineered status of his game. His iron game is widely considered to be of the very best in the modern sport and if he finds his rhythm early on then he could easily be in the running when Sunday comes. With Wentworth asking so many questions about a player’s approach play, Hovland’s natural talent in this regard will be vital to keeping him in contention.
- Well-improved short game in recent seasons
- Great fit for precision-based courses
- Ranks amongst the best Iron games of any professional
Where to Watch
The 2026 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth will be a festival of the sport for all golf-lovers from the committed-tour followers to casual fans. For those looking to experience the event first hand in real-time, picking the perfect position is always a consideration.
The front nine is where one can expect to soak up most of the atmosphere in a relaxed way with quitter vantage points to set up camp and watch the players swing. Many are obviously tempted by the energy grandstand finale of the eighteenth, particularly on the final day, but this can be incredibly cramped. It seems that the most crucial spot is likely to be on the sixteenth where dramatic changes often unfold and the real pressure mounts.
Surrey Supports the Event Superbly
If you are making the journey to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, then do take a look through our guides on what to see and do in the area to form a complete trip. With so much to experience, a relaxing itinerary is easily available to wind down from the unfolding drama on the tees and greens.
