The Race to Dubai makes its return to DP World Tour headquarters this week as a star-studded international field assembles for the return of the Rolex Series at the BMW PGA Championship. Here are your five things to know.
Horschel defends on comeback
When Billy Horschel announced he was to undergo right hip surgery in May, the prospect of the American being back to defend his title appeared in doubt. But he was back hitting balls by early July and announced in mid-August that the BMW PGA Championship would mark his return to competitive action. Having watched the event on television as a child, he professed his affection for Wentworth when he finished in the top five on his debut in 2019. He has since won the event twice, in 2021 and 2024, most recently defeating Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in a play-off after a dramatic final round. Across his five appearances over the West Course, he has finished no worse than a tie for 18th. While a lack of sharpness is likely to be inevitable after months on the sidelines, he will not be short of suppport after forging a strong connection with the English crowds as a fan of London-based Premier League side West Ham.
A Rolex Series event
The status of the BMW PGA Championship as one of the most prestigious events on the DP World Tour is long established, but it took on even greater significance with the launch of the Rolex Series in 2017. It is one of three events to feature in every season of the Rolex Series since its inception - alongside the Genesis Scottish Open and the DP World Tour Championship. The prize fund has grown from $7 million to $9 million, while this year's edition is the sixth in succession to feature during the latter stages of the Race to Dubai campaign since its move from May in 2019. All seven players to have won the BMW PGA Championship during the Rolex Series era - namely Horschel, Ryan Fox, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren - are in action this week.
Ryder Cup stars on show
Anticipation is fast building ahead of the Ryder Cup, with 11 members of Luke Donald's Bethpage-bound European Team making the trip to Surrey, England. Following the birth of his second child last month, Sepp Straka is the exception. As such, the thousands of fans set to come through the gates will be treated to seeing Grand Slam winner McIlroy joined by fellow Major winners Jon Rahm, Lowry, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick. Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood will be making his first appearance since winning the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup after triumphing in the TOUR Championship, with countryman and past winner Hatton joined too by Robert MacIntyre, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg and Ryder Cup rookie Rasmus Højgaard. Following the completion of the event, the entirety of Team Europe are due to travel out to New York for a two-day reconnaisance trip to Bethpage to fine-tune their games as the build-up to biennial match-play contest ramps up.
Global stars tee it up
Such is the calibre of the field, it is little wonder the event is close to a sell-out. A week on from seven Major Champions competing at the Amgen Irish Open, there are 11 at Wentworth. That includes 11-time PGA TOUR winner Hideki Matsuyama, who is making his BMW PGA Championship debut as the Japanese star is joined by fellow Green Jacket holders Adam Scott and Patrick Reed, while five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka is also in action. New Zealander Ryan Fox won twice on the PGA TOUR in the space of a month earlier this year at the Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic and RBC Canadian Open and he is joined by fellow internationally recognised figures of the sport in Australian Rolex Series winner Min Woo Lee and Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who also made their PGA TOUR breakthroughs at the start of the 2025 season. Chilean DP World Tour winner Joaquin Niemann is also in action as are Canada's Corey Conners, Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas and South Korea's Si Woo Kim, highlighting the tournament's long-standing international appeal.
A Festival of Golf
As is the case for so many events on the Race to Dubai schedule, the DP World Tour's Golf for Good programme is in full action this week with the G4D Tour, Green Drive and Golf Futures all playing their part.
The G4D Tour sees the third of four events in quick succession take place on Monday and Tuesday, with Kipp Popert defending his title. Away from the on-the-course action, a series of clinics will take place including one run by Special Olympics.
Green Drive sees a host of on-site activities available to reduce waste and encourage the use of public transport. Sky Sports presenter David Garrido will be interviewing DP World Tour winner Dylan Frittelli to discuss and raise awareness about environmental impact, particularly through the player and fan travel emissions trackers and local ecosystem restoration projects. The Golf Sustainability Podcast, hosted by John Failla, will also be recording their latest episode live from Wentworth on Friday.
As part of Golf Futures, our friends at Careers in Golf will be offering groups of students a behind-the-scenes tour at Wentworth as Tour staff give an insight into the various career paths within the industry.
Elsewhere across the Festival of Golf there is a packed itinerary. On Wednesday, the Celebrity Pro-Am will take place with a host of fan-favourites from the worlds of film, sport and music taking part. And with Razorlight and Ella Henderson performing in the Fan Village after the final putts drop over the weekend, it promises to be a fantastic event for everyone.
