Ryder Cup trio join BMW PGA Championship field

Jon Rahm, Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren are the latest players from the winning European team at the 2018 Ryder Cup to join the star-studded field for the BMW PGA Championship, the fourth Rolex Series event of the 2019 Race to Dubai.

The prestigious event at Wentworth Club enters a new chapter this year with the date moving from May to September 18-22. Its significance at the business end of the year-long Race to Dubai is further elevated as the first counting tournament in the race to qualify for the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

Rahm, Stenson and Noren played important roles in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Le Golf National in Paris last September, with all three winning their singles matches on a dramatic final day.

World no.5 Rahm – who will be making his BMW PGA Championship debut at Wentworth Club next month – famously downed Tiger Woods 2&1 in the Sunday singles on his Ryder Cup debut to extend Europe’s lead to three, while 2016 Open Champion Stenson beat Bubba Watson 5&4 soon after Francesco Molinari had claimed the winning point.

Noren, meanwhile, put the icing on the cake for Thomas Bjørn’s side as he holed a monster putt on the final hole to beat Bryson DeChambeau 1 up and rubber-stamp a remarkable 17.5-10.5 triumph.

“I cannot wait to play my first BMW PGA Championship,” said Rahm, who will be targeting a fourth Rolex Series title. “I have heard such great things about the event, the golf course and the crowds. I love playing in big atmospheres and I tend to play better when the crowd gets behind me – and of course I seem to play well at Rolex Series events. So hopefully the British fans will support me and I can give them something to cheer about too.”

Two-time Race to Dubai champion Stenson, who finished in a share of third in his last BMW PGA Championship appearance in 2017, said: “The BMW PGA Championship has always been one of the biggest events on the European Tour and especially since 2017 when it became a Rolex Series event. Now with it being the start of the race for the 2020 Ryder Cup, it is sure to add an extra little bit of excitement for the fans and for us players. I certainly want to be on the plane to Milwaukee next year, so hopefully I can get off to a strong start in the points race with a good performance at Wentworth.”

Noren, who memorably won the 2017 BMW PGA Championship with a stunning final round 62, which included an eagle at the last, said: “It is always one of my favourite tournaments of the year and, of course, I have some great memories of Wentworth. Since the changes to the West Course, it seems to get better and better, and I’m looking forward to returning with this new date. After the summer season, I have no doubt the course will be in better condition than ever.”

Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Molinari – who also starred in the 2018 Ryder Cup – have already confirmed they will play the 2019 BMW PGA Championship, as have their USA counterparts at Le Golf National Tony Finau and Patrick Reed.

Tickets to see those Ryder Cup stars, along with American Billy Horschel, battle it out for the BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth are on sale now. Fans can also buy tickets to see a top class line-up of entertainment on the Slingsby Show Stage in the BMW Championship village, with Rudimental headlining on Saturday night (Sept 21) and Anne Marie bringing the curtain down on Sunday Sept 22.

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