The DP World Tour’s third Rolex Series event of the season, the BMW PGA Championship, sees Rory McIlroy return to Wentworth as one of the biggest names in the field. The tournament runs from September 17 to 20, with all four rounds broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf.
McIlroy won the BMW PGA Championship in 2014 and arrives at Wentworth hoping to improve on his tied-41st place finish at the Amgen Irish Open. He said he was “encouraged” by certain aspects of his game coming into this week.
McIlroy’s return to Wentworth
The Wentworth Club has served as the home of the tournament since its start in 1955, and the course first welcomed golfers when it opened as a club in 1922. It has also played host to the 1953 Ryder Cup and the AIG Women’s Open in 1980.
Adrien Saddier was beaten by Alex Noren in a play-off at last year’s event, which made Noren the defending champion. The prize money for that victory totalled £1.13m (£$1.53m).
The big names in the field
Rory McIlroy, a two-time winner of the Masters, has Patrick Reed alongside him for this event. Reed leads the Race to Dubai Rankings after having a strong season on the DP World Tour since he departed LIV Golf at the start of the year.
Reed sits atop the Race to Dubai Rankings and arrives at this week’s event after a strong tied-second showing at the Amgen Irish Open.
Sunday brought Shane Lowry a seven-under 63, which sealed a 11-shot triumph at the Amgen Irish Open. It was a stunning result for the golfer. The win extends his run of success across the DP World Tour, with his last title coming at the BMW PGA Championship in 2022.
Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood both made the cut for the event. Fleetwood has finished inside the top five on the PGA Tour four times this season, with one of those results being a tied-fourth place at The Open at Royal Birkdale.
The Farmers Insurance Open saw Rose claim victory, while his performance at The Masters ended in a tied-third finish — a strong showing across both events during a successful season on the PGA Tour.
LIV Golf talent in the field
This week’s field includes several LIV Golf players, among them Jon Rahm, who took home his third consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championship back in August. He also placed tied for second at the PGA Championship in May.
The field includes his Legion XIII team-mate Tyrrell Hatton, who has had a strong season at the majors, tying for third at The Masters and seventh at the US Open. However, he arrives at Wentworth having missed the cut at the Amgen Irish Open.
What’s at stake
A total of £6.6m ($9m) makes up the prize money, and since this is a Rolex Series Event, 8,000 Race to Dubai Rankings points are on offer.
The Celebrity Pro-Am
Each year, Wentworth stages a celebrity Pro-Am gathering with fields drawn from sport and entertainment, and this year’s edition brings together former Chelsea stars John Terry and Eden Hazard alongside ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler.
On the Wednesday before the main event begins, the BMW PGA Championship runs its Celebrity Pro-Am, which pairs one professional player with a team of amateurs.
How to watch
Sky Sports Golf will broadcast every day of the four-day event live. The first and second rounds begin on Thursday September 17, with coverage starting at 8.30am on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event. Friday September 18 follows the same schedule for its rounds.
Saturday September 19, the third round gets its broadcast on Sky Sports Golf starting at 9am. The final round’s coverage follows on Sky Sports Golf, beginning at 8.30am on Sunday September 20.
For viewers without Sky, the current Sky Sports offers or streaming without a contract can be found through NOW.
Key facts box
- Tournament: BMW PGA Championship 2026
- Venue: Wentworth Club, Surrey, England
- Date: September 17–20
- Prize purse: £6.6m ($9m)
- Race to Dubai points: 8,000
- Defending champion: Alex Noren
- Last year’s winner prize: £1.13m ($1.53m)
Our view
This is a stacked field, and the mix of LIV Golf talent, major winners and returning champions gives the tournament real depth. McIlroy’s return adds a star attraction, but Reed’s form and Lowry’s recent win make him a serious contender.
Wednesday’s amateur competition gets a lighter tone from three well-known names stepping into the field: Terry, Hazard and Fowler join the Celebrity Pro-Am.
Sky Sports Golf is broadcasting every round live, so anyone following the DP World Tour can watch the whole competition unfold over the four days at Wentworth. The coverage includes all four rounds, meaning viewers get a complete look at who steps forward.
This is the part worth watching.
See the video the story is built around at Skysports.