The 2016 BMW PGA Championship | Who will be competing for the title?

On 26 – 29 May 2016, the renowned Wentworth Club in Virginia Waters, Surrey, will play host to what’s considered by many to be the most prestigious tournament on the PGA European Tour: the 2016 BMW PGA Championship.

So what is this famous golfing competition and who will you be able to see in action on the club’s West Course during this year’s event? Read on to find out all about this thrilling golf championship.

A Historic Competition with Coveted Prizes – The 2016 BMW PGA Championship

This popular golf tournament’s origins date back to 1955, when the Professional Golfers’ Association organised a closed championship competition at the Pannal and Starbeck golf clubs in Harrogate. The inaugural British PGA Championship, as it was known at the time, was won by British golfer, Ken Bousfield.

The tournament became an annual event, with a number of different venues being used throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including: Maesdu Golf Club in North Wales; the Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Kent; the Royal Birkdale Course in Southport; and St. Andrews Links in Scotland. From 1984 until the present day, however, it has taken place at the Wentworth Club.

In 1967 and 1968, both closed and open versions of the competition were held, but after that it became an open championship.

Many famous names appear on the list of British PGA Championship winners, including Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie and Rory McIlroy. In addition to receiving a stunning contemporary golf trophy, the winning player also takes home one of the largest prize purses available in PGA-organised competitions, and exemptions into the following three British Open Championships as well as the next US Open competition.

The 2016 Competition – What Can We Expect to See?

This year’s BMW PGA Championship has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months. Firstly, the local residents were reported to be locked in a dispute with Wentworth Club about the amount of money they would receive from the tournament organisers.

Some well-known names also then announced that they would not be competing in the tournament. Rory McIlroy pulled out of the event due to a packed summer schedule, opting to play at the Rio Olympics instead, while Justin Rose was forced to withdraw due to a back injury.

There will be plenty of golfing talent to watch on the green, however, so competition is likely to be tough, and watching it will be a treat for golf fans. Danny Willett, for example, who became the first English player to win the Masters since 1996 when he clinched the title in April, will be trying to add another trophy to his cabinet, while last year’s winner, Byeong Hun An, will be keen for another win.

Other golfers set to compete in the 2016 championship include former US Open winner, Martin Kaymer, and the runner-up in the 2014 BMW PGA Championship, Shane Lowry.

Will you be heading to Wentworth to watch the golfing action or will you be tuning in on your TV? Who do you think will be this year’s victor? Leave a comment to let us know.