Staff WriterFans will get their chance to roar Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes into battle at the BMW PGA Championship next week, with Luke Donald’s team set for one last competitive tune-up before heading to Bethpage.
The showpiece at Wentworth Club, running September 9–14, promises a spectacle: part golf tournament, part raucous send-off party.
This isn’t just another stop on the DP World Tour. The BMW PGA Championship is the third Rolex Series event of the year and the final dress rehearsal before Europe defend the Ryder Cup they famously reclaimed at Marco Simone in 2023.
If you want to see Donald’s men before the transatlantic dogfight with the Americans, Wentworth is your ticket. Quite literally—Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are sold out. Thursday is your last shot, unless you fancy shelling out for the dwindling Premium Experience packages.
A cast list of heavy hitters
The line-up reads like a who’s who of European golf. Ludvig Åberg, the young Swede who went from college golf to Ryder Cup hammer blows in less time than it takes Bryson to line up a putt, returns for his second appearance at both the Ryder Cup and the BMW PGA Championship. Two years ago, he finished tied 10th here; this year, he’s aiming higher.
Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champ, will make his fourth Ryder Cup appearance, while FedEx Cup kingpin Tommy Fleetwood arrives fresh from winning the TOUR Championship. Fleetwood now boasts his first PGA TOUR victory, which frankly feels overdue.
Then there’s Tyrrell Hatton, who seems to play the BMW PGA Championship like it’s his local medal. Winner here in 2022, Hatton secured his fourth Ryder Cup berth with a mix of trademark fire and top-20 major finishes—including a gritty share of fourth at the U.S. Open.
Rasmus Højgaard sneaks in as Europe’s sole debutant, earning his stripes with a strong qualifying finish, highlighted by a runner-up on home soil in Denmark. If you don’t know him yet, you soon will.
Viktor Hovland, meanwhile, is back to reprise his role as Nordic golfing Viking. Remember his 9&7 Ryder Cup demolition job alongside Åberg against Koepka and Scheffler? The Americans still do.
Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, and a rejuvenated Justin Rose—fresh off a playoff win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship—round out a squad brimming with storylines.
And then there’s Rory. McIlroy, fresh from finally completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta in April, turns up for his eighth Ryder Cup.
He’s lifted the BMW PGA Championship trophy before and nearly did it again when Billy Horschel edged him out. He’ll be the heartbeat of Donald’s team once more.
Jon Rahm, Spain’s fiery talisman, continues his nation’s proud Ryder Cup lineage. Few will forget the sight of him staring down Tiger Woods in Paris back in 2018.
Add in vice captains Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren—both past winners at Wentworth—and this field looks less like a warm-up and more like a full-on European showcase.
A send-off with plenty of theatre
“This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to see European Ryder Cup players in action ahead of Bethpage and wish them well before they head to New York to defend the Ryder Cup,” said Darrell O’Hora, Championship Director of the BMW PGA Championship.
“With General Admission tickets sold out for four of our event days, demand for Thursday is increasing and this will be the final chance to see these players tee it up before the Ryder Cup. The atmosphere is certain to be electric and we can’t wait for the week to start.”
If Wentworth is often described as the “HQ of European golf,” then next week it becomes something closer to a military send-off. Expect flags, songs, pints raised, and the kind of atmosphere you normally only see on football terraces.
Logistics for the faithful
For fans plotting the pilgrimage, it’s less than an hour from central London with shuttles running from Virginia Water station. BMW owners can smugly enjoy preferred parking, while the rest of us can make use of Park & Ride services from Sunningdale or Ascot (£10 a pop—unless you pay in advance, in which case you save a fiver).
Season ticket holders can grab a parking pass for £30. Or you can take the train, save the stress, and spend that money on an extra round at the beer tent.
The BMW PGA Championship may be billed as a tournament, but this year it’s also a rallying cry. Europe’s Ryder Cup warriors will strut their stuff one last time before the cauldron of Bethpage, and the crowd at Wentworth gets the privilege of being their opening act.
