West Course, Wentworth, Surrey, England. Designer: Harry Colt, 1926 with Els re-design 2009/2016; Course Type: Classical; Par: 72; Length: 7,267 yards; Fairways: Bentgrass, Fescue, Poa Annua; Rough: Rye, Fescue; Greens: Creeping Bentgrass.
Course Overview. A week after Chris Wood’s victory here in 2016, Wentworth began its second major transformation under the guidance of Ernie Els. This time, with the help of European Golf Design, the brief was to return the course back closer to the original vision conceived by Harry Colt but with consideration for how golf has developed in modern times. Whereas the changes implemented by Els and his team back in 2009, with a few subsequent revisions, toughened the track up with a series of relatively severe features, these latest changes softened the course to a degree, particularly on and around the greens.
The layout and routing wasn’t altered during the 2016 renovations, however in total 29 bunkers were removed from the track completely and all remaining bunkers were reconstructed and generally softened to make the course more playable. A sub-air system, as per Augusta National, was installed on all 18 greens and the putting surfaces were stripped and re-laid with creeping bentgrass to replace the tired and inconsistent Bent/Poa mix.
The 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th and 15th greens were rebuilt to a degree whereas the 8th, 11th, 14th and 16th were completely overhauled in a bid to make the surfaces more amenable. The entrances to a number of greens were opened too as part of the changes to encourage more shot-making options and to make them more accessible from the ground, in turn allowing balls to roll onto the greens as per Colt’s original concept here.

Tournament Stats. We’ve published some key player statistics for this week’s BMW PGA Championship that will help to shape a view on players who traditionally play well at this event: Current Form | Tournament Form | First Round Leader Stats | Combined Stats.
Predictor Model. Our published Predictor Model is available here. As always you can build your own model using the variables available.
Winners & Prices. 2020: Tyrrell Hatton, 16/1; 2019: Danny Willett, 66/1; 2018: Francesco Molinari, 22/1; 2017: Alex Noren, 20/1; 2016: Chris Wood, 66/1; 2015: Byeong-Hun An, 100/1; 2014: Rory McIlroy, 14/1; 2013: Matteo Manassero, 66/1; 2012: Luke Donald, 8/1; 2011: Luke Donald, 15/2; 2010: Simon Khan, 200/1.
Weather Forecast. The latest weather forecast for the area is here.
The hot conditions from early in the week in the south of England will have dissipated by the time play starts on Thursday, however it will still be pleasant enough for early September with temperatures reaching the low 70s Fahrenheit each afternoon. Sunny spells and light winds of between 5-10mph should encourage relatively low scoring, with the odd light shower not likely to amount to much.
Tournament Trends & Key Factors.
Analysing the final stats of the last 11 winners here since 2010 gives us a little more insight into the requirements for this test:
- 2020, Tyrrell Hatton (-19). 71.4% fairways (5th), 66.7% greens in regulation (22nd), 83.3% scrambling (1st), 1.67 putts per GIR (14th).
- 2019, Danny Willett (-20). 64.3% fairways (16th), 76.4% greens in regulation (2nd), 70.6% scrambling (8th), 1.58 putts per GIR (2nd).
- 2018, Francesco Molinari (-17). 76.8% fairways (4th), 73.6% greens in regulation (8th), 89.5% scrambling (1st), 1.72 putts per GIR (25th).
- 2017, Alex Noren (-11). 60.7% fairways (32nd), 62.5% greens in regulation (26th), 70.4% scrambling (4th), 1.64 putts per GIR (9th).
- 2016, Chris Wood (-9). 69.6% fairways (7th), 73.6% greens in regulation (4th), 52.6% scrambling (18th), 1.70 putts per GIR (13th).
- 2015, Byeong-Hun An (-21). 62.5% fairways (35th), 84.7% greens in regulation (1st), 81.8% scrambling (1st), 1.69 putts per GIR (11th).
- 2014, Rory McIlroy (-14). 67.9% fairways (30th), 68.1% greens in regulation (22nd), 60.9% scrambling (21st), 1.65 putts per GIR (8th).
- 2013, Matteo Manassero (-10). 60.7% fairways (47th), 73.6% greens in regulation (4th), 63.2% scrambling (14th), 1.75 putts per GIR (35th).
- 2012, Luke Donald (-15). 58.9% fairways (40th), 70.8% greens in regulation (10th), 66.7% scrambling (2nd), 1.67 putts per GIR (2nd).
- 2011, Luke Donald (-6). 67.9% fairways (23rd), 70.8% greens in regulation (3rd), 57.1% scrambling (25th), 1.70 putts per GIR (4th).
- 2010, Simon Khan (-6). 87.5% fairways (1st), 81.9% greens in regulation (1st), 53.8% scrambling (34th), 1.81 putts per GIR (54th).
Hit two thirds of fairways, three quarters of greens and scramble and putt in the top dozen or so and you’ll be there or thereabouts is pretty much how recent winners since the original Els re-design have got the job done. Even when weather conditions have led to higher or lower scores, it’s still tended to be players who’ve done sufficiently well in all aspects of their game who’ve prevailed here.
Traditionally this has been a strong all-round test and contenders can’t be lacking in any particular area of their game this week if they want to succeed. 3 of the top-6 finishers last year all ranked 7th or better when it came to GIR on the week and eventual winner Tyrrell Hatton continued the trend we’d seen the previous year when scrambling was a critical factor, as the Englishman ranked 1st for getting up and down at 83.3% over the 4 days.
From a Strokes Gained perspective, SG Tee to Green was the most consistent stat from the top 5 finishers last year with eventual winner Tyrrell Hatton topping that statistic:
- 1st: Tyrrell Hatton. T: 11th; A: 20th; T2G: 1st; ATG: 2nd; P: 11th
- 2nd: Victor Perez. T: 17th; A: 7th; T2G: 3rd; ATG: 11th; P: 18th
- 3rd: Patrick Reed. T: 26th; A: 18th; T2G: 19th; ATG: 19th; P: 2nd
- 3rd: Andy Sullivan. T: 8th; A: 6th; T2G: 2nd; ATG: 28th; P: 23rd
- 5th: Ian Poulter. T: 22nd; A: 28th; T2G: 10th; ATG: 7th; P: 6th
Key: T: SG Off the Tee; A; SG Approach; T2G: SG Tee to Green; ATG: SG Around the Green; P: SG Putting.
Incoming Form: The three short-priced winners (McIlroy and Donald twice) entered the event off the back of some strong form and at least 2 consecutive top 10s immediately prior to victory here. Manassero’s form was less obvious with a couple of top 20s in his previous 4 outings, whereas Simon Khan’s win came from completely off the page as a late sponsor’s invitation. 2015 winner Byeong-Hun An arrived with immediate form of 8/15 and had a further two top-10 finishes to his name for the year to date.
2016 winner Chris Wood had finished 54th in Ireland the week before winning here which was his first event for over a month – 8th at the Dubai Desert Classic had been the Bristolian’s best effort of the year to date. 2017 winner Alex Noren had won 4 times the previous season and although he’d not taken any further silverware in 2017 up to the point of his victory here, he had made the quarter-finals of the WGC Match Play before finishing a creditable 10th at TPC Sawgrass in elite company on his last start.
Francesco Molinari’s form for the season-to-date in 2018 wasn’t anything special, hence the 22/1 price point despite his strong course form. 2 top-20s in his previous 5 starts hinted at some developing form though and the rest is history as he won the Quicken Loans National and then the Open Championship over his next few starts after proving victorious here.
2019 winner Danny Willett frustrated many punters having been a well-backed fancy on his previous start at Crans-sur-Sierre where he missed the cut. Prior to that though, he’d finished 6th at the Open Championship and produced 2 strong rounds in decent company at The Northern Trust in the PGA Tour Playoffs so, Crans aside, the signs were there.
Last year’s winner Tyrrell Hatton made it a hat-trick of victors here coming off the back of a missed cut, having finished 6 shots adrift of the line at the US Open on his previous start. 5th in terms of 72-hole scoring at the Tour Championship prior to that was strong form though in elite PGA Tour company, having already converted State-side earlier in the year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational:
- 2020, Tyrrell Hatton: 1/46/6/1/3/4/69/MC/25/16/5/MC
- 2019, Danny Willett: MC/MC/MC/41/27/8/12/MC/6/48/24/MC
- 2018, Francesco Molinari: 17/8/45/40/MC/25/26/17/20/49/16/MC
- 2017, Alex Noren: 12/1/23/13/21/MC/55/49/5/MC/31/10
- 2016, Chris Wood: MC/MC/8/MC/42/20/61/42/34/54
- 2015, Byeong-Hun An: 12/5/13/7/45/59/34/MC/8/15
- 2014, Rory McIlroy: 2/9/17/2/25/7/8/8/6
- 2013, Matteo Manassero: 9/23/22/12/33/29/23/17/MC/16/68
- 2012, Luke Donald: 48/56/33/6/1/32/37/3/6
- 2011, Luke Donald: MC/1/10/6/4/2/8/4/2
- 2010, Simon Khan: MC/65/57/56/61/MC/69/MC/27
Course Form: Given his recent form, the 100/1 about Benny An in 2015 was best explained by the fact that it was his Wentworth debut and, at the time, he was still a European Tour maiden.
Until then, and including Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren from the past 4 renewals, recent winners here had produced a top-10 or better over the West Course in either its previous or current guise, suggesting that positive experience of this part of Surrey in some shape or form was pretty critical.
Wentworth hadn’t been Rory McIlroy’s favourite stomping ground prior to victory in 2014, however he had nevertheless produced a top-5 on his second attempt in 2009; Matteo Manassero had finished 7th two years prior to victory which followed his 17th place finish on debut; Luke Donald had finished 3rd in 2008 and 2nd in 2010 prior to his back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2012; even ‘surprise’ 2010 winner Simon Khan had previously finished 2nd at Wentworth 4 years previously, so his ability to play the course shouldn’t have been a total shock – which he again proved in 2013 when making the play-off.
Event form prior to winning since 2010 as follows:
- 2020, Tyrrell Hatton: 38/46/7/30/MC/MC
- 2019, Danny Willett: 5/MC/43/32/63/38/3/58/MC
- 2018, Francesco Molinari: 30/MC/35/17/50/7/9/7/5/55/2
- 2017, Alex Noren: MC/6/21/74/MC/21/32/WD/8/43
- 2016, Chris Wood: 6/MC/49/WD/21/4
- 2015, Byeong-Hun An: Debut
- 2014, Rory McIlroy: MC/5/48/24/MC/MC
- 2013, Matteo Manassero: 17/7/43
- 2012, Luke Donald: 18/25/7/3/35/2/1
- 2011, Luke Donald: 18/25/7/3/35/2
- 2010, Simon Khan: 24/MC/2/24/10/MC
This classical, tree-lined track is at its most challenging when the wind blows – even a 10-15 mph breeze can play havoc with club selection as it whistles around the treetops, however this week doesn’t look likely to cause the players too many problems and another week where scoring approaches 20-under is possible.
For me this is a combination of solid all-round play, bogey avoidance and some positive course experience where the eventual winner is likely to have an extra touch of class about him.
All things considered, my selections are as follows: