PressClub Global · Article.
Stage is set for an electrifying weekend at the BMW PGA Championship.
Sat Sep 16 14:35:32 CEST 2023 Press Release
+++ Exciting leaderboard ahead of the “Moving Day” +++ Fully-electric BMW i5 Hole-in-One Award still up for grabs +++ Live concerts in the evenings +++ “Dress rehearsal” for Ryder Cup Team Europe +++
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+++ Exciting leaderboard ahead of the “Moving Day” +++ Fully-electric BMW i5 Hole-in-One Award still up for grabs +++ Live concerts in the evenings +++ “Dress rehearsal” for Ryder Cup Team Europe +++
Munich/Wentworth. On Saturday morning, the second round of the BMW PGA Championship, which was suspended due to darkness the previous day, was completed at the Wentworth Club. 79 players have made the cut and are still fighting for the prestigious title at the DP World Tour's flagship event. The huge crowds – around 55,000 spectators had attended the fourth event of the Rolex Series by Friday – can look forward to a high-quality weekend.
Leading the way are two Swedes: Ryder Cup rookie Ludvig Åberg and Sebastian Söderberg (both at -10), who climbed to the top with rounds of 66 and 64 strokes, respectively. The only player to achieve a better score than Söderberg on Friday was the 2021 BMW PGA Champion, Billy Horschel (-6, T16), who is now back in contention for a second title at the Wentworth Club after a quiet 75 in the opening round.
This year, the focus is particularly on the twelve players from the European Ryder Cup Team, who will aim to defeat defending champions USA in Rome in two weeks. All of them are participating in the BMW PGA Championship, playing their last golf tournament before the legendary team competition. Alongside Åberg, another rookie nominated by captain Luke Donald with a wild card has showcased excellent form, namely Austria's Sepp Straka (-8, T7) who is only two strokes behind the leaders.
Even better positioned in front of the home crowd is Tommy Fleetwood (ENG, -9, T3). Also in contention are Tyrrell Hatton (ENG, -7, T10), Jon Rahm (ESP), Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG, both -6, T16), Viktor Hovland (NOR, -5, T25), and defending champion Shane Lowry (IRL, -4, T30). They all have a chance to claim the title on the West Course, which has witnessed spectacular comebacks in the past.
All players still have a chance to win an innovative BMW vehicle at the 14th hole. The first hole-in-one will be rewarded with the BMW i5, the first fully-electric BMW 5 Series in history. Also fully electric is the 60-vehicle Courtesy Car Fleet that BMW is providing at this year's tournament, contributing not only to the smooth operation of the BMW PGA Championship but also to the “Green Drive” initiative of the DP World Tour. “Green Drive” is pledging to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and to be net zero carbon by 2040 at all tournaments around the world
In a different electrifying manner, the Championship Village at the “Festival of Golf” is also a highlight. Live concerts have been a staple of the BMW PGA Championship programme since 2015. Following the Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday, “DJ Locksmith” (Rudimental) enthralled the audience with an exhilarating performance on the Show Stage. On Saturday, “Jax Jones” will conclude the day with his genre-defining DJ set. “The Wombats” from Liverpool, known for hits like “Moving to New York” and “Let’s Dance to Joy Division”, will rock the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday, wrapping up a fantastic tournament week.