McIlroy And Rahm To Headline Stacked BMW PGA Field Featuring Ryder Cup Team Europe

The DP World Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, is always one of the highlights of the calendar, with strong fields the norm.

This year, its proximity to the Ryder Cup, falling just two weeks before the biennial match, means it will again be stacked with many of the world's best players, including Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm among all 12 of Luke Donald’s European team.

Also among them is defending champion Shane Lowry. Last year, he claimed the title by one shot over McIlroy and Rahm.

The three will be joined by Viktor Hovland, whose excellent form in 2023 culminated in becoming FedEx Cup champion following a win in the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club to wrap up the PGA Tour season.

Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the US Open in 2013 and 2022 respectively, also play, along with six-time DP World Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, whose excellent PGA Tour season included runner-up at The Players Championship.

Robert MacIntyre, who qualified automatically for Team Europe, John Deere Classic winner Sepp Straka, two-time DP World Tour winner Nicolai Hojgaard and Omega European Masters champion Ludvig Aberg also play as the 12 players who will compete against the US aim to keep their games sharp ahead of the match at the end of the month.

Donald, who has won the BMW PGA Championship twice, will also play, along with four of his five vice captains, Thomas Bjorn, Franceso Molinari, Edoardo Molinari and Nicolas Colsaerts.

Players associated with the 2023 European Ryder Cup team are far from the only high-profile competitors in the field. Also participating will be 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, seven-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel, three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington and Adrian Meronk, who missed out on a wildcard for Donald’s team.

However, it is the presence of the 12 European Ryder Cup players that is sure to generate the most interest. Their appearances in the tournament will come the week after they embark on a get together at Marco Simone with Donald.

Before the Horizon Irish Open he described the importance of the trip, saying: “Well, it's the first time we've ever done it as a team. It was something that I certainly wanted. I was very adamant that whoever was on that team was going to be there. I didn't want anyone to kind of skip out on it unless they had specific reasons for that.”

While that bonding experience will be put to one side as the action gets under way in the BMW PGA Championship, Donald will be hoping the appearances of his players at Wentworth will be one of the final pieces of the jigsaw needed to ensure the Europeans are ready for the challenge of claiming back the trophy it lost to the USA two years ago.