I was really looking forward to returning to Quail Hollow for last week’s Wells Fargo, but a muscle strain in my lower back put paid to that prospect.
It meant I had to stay at home, get some rest and receive the treatment that I needed in order to recover as quickly as possible. The good news is I was hitting balls again by the weekend and I arrived into the UK this Monday morning for the BMW PGA Championship.
Before that, though, I want to say a quick word about some exciting recent news on the Els for Autism front. A big thank you to CBS, in partnership with the PGA of America, for broadcasting an hour-long program in the US last weekend, showcasing PGA REACH, which does amazing work utilizing golf to positively impact the lives of veterans, youths and diverse populations. PGA REACH is a great supporter of Els for Autism, which featured strongly in the CBS special chronicling the story of two special young people, Brynn and Joshua (pictured below), who I’ve met at events run by Els for Autism. They are truly an inspiration to us all.
Els for Autism has also just launched a nationwide pilot for our #GameON Autism Golf Program, which you may recall me mentioning previously on this forum. It is aimed at developing life skills, encouraging social interaction, and promoting healthy living through golf for individuals on the autism spectrum. It began in 2013 as a series of one-off clinics alongside the Foundation’s annual Golf Challenge, the 2015 version of which is now in full swing with two further events taking place this week at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas and Floridian National in Florida. Click here for the full schedule. Anyway, I have been lucky enough to attend #GameON clinics and witness the incredibly positive effects on the participants. Our goal now is to develop this into a comprehensive program that can be rolled out worldwide and we are so grateful for the support from organizations and individuals that have helped us get to this point, in particular PGA REACH and New York Collaborates for Autism. For the full story on this great new program, please click here.
Okay, so moving on to this week. As I mentioned, we flew to London from Florida at the weekend and, as always, it’s lovely to be back here at the Wentworth Estate – even if the weather is a little on the wet side today. The forecast is looking much better for later in the week, though, which is good news for the fans, the players and everyone else involved in this tournament.
Having spent so much time here over the years, and played so much golf on the West Course, this Club has a special place in my heart and obviously I’m well aware of its impressive history. I noticed that one or two of the newspapers picked up on that today, which is not surprising given how many tournaments Wentworth has hosted; a Ryder Cup, Curtis Cup, Canada Cup (now the World Cup of Golf), 40-plus years of World Matchplay Championships and 30-plus years of PGA Championships. Many of the great players of the last 50-60 years have won on Wentworth turf – the likes of Seve, Faldo, Norman, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Hogan, Snead and, of course this week’s defending champion and world number one Rory McIlroy. Not many clubs in Europe, or even the world, can boast a roll call of champions on a par with that.
For me personally, and for everyone on the team at Ernie Els Design, it was a privilege to have played our part in Wentworth’s history through the modernization and renovation of Harry Colt’s iconic West Course. Here in the present day I’d say that in every meaningful way the BMW PGA Championship belongs at the top of the tree in terms of prestige and quality, so I’m sure we’re in for another great week. There’s a strong field, including nine major champions, and a record €5 million prize fund. The golf course is in wonderful shape and the fans always show-up in huge numbers; they love their golf here and they appreciate the quality of the venue and the heritage of the tournament. I think also for people in the south of England it feels like the golf season starts right here, right now. There’s so much passion and enthusiasm from everyone this week and, as a player, you really sense that. There’s a buzz in the air.
Although this great trophy has so far eluded my grasp, it’s a week that I always go into with a lot of optimism and high expectations. I’ve shot some low numbers on this golf course; it’s just a case of putting together all the pieces in one week. That’s the plan!
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