BMW PGA Championship 2025 Betting Tips: Fitzy to celebrate Ryder Cup pick

Nine years on from his first victory, Rory McIlroy delivered another moment of magic at the K Club last week, clinching his second Irish Open title in unforgettable fashion.

A stunning eagle at the 72^nd hole sent the awe-inspired home crowd into raptures, forcing extra holes with Joakim Lagergren. He outlasted the Swede in a three-hole playoff to win his fourth title of a memorable year, whetting the appetite with the Ryder Cup just around the corner.

Attention quickly shifts to Wentworth for the BMW PGA Championship, the DP World Tour’s flagship event, where a top-class field has assembled. This includes 11 of Europe’s Ryder Cup side, looking to sharpen their skills for the trip to Bethpage Black in less than three weeks’ time.

Our golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with his long-read preview of the event and has picked out six players to back each-way this week. Check out Jamie's  thoughts and his BMW PGA Championship 2025 Betting Tips below...

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

First staged in 1955, the BMW PGA Championship became part of the DP World Tour when the circuit was founded in 1972. It is recognised as the tour's flagship event and has been held permanently at Wentworth Club's West Course since 1984.

Among the many famous names to have lifted the trophy, Sir Nick Faldo has enjoyed the most success in the event. He won his first BMW PGA Championship in 1978, following with victories in 1980, 1981, and here at Wentworth in 1989.

Peter Alliss (1957, 1962, 1965), Bernhard Langer (1987, 1993, 1995) and Colin Montgomerie (1998, 1999, 2000) have each won three titles.

The esteemed list of winners also includes Tony Jacklin (1972, 1982), Arnold Palmer (1975), Seve Ballesteros (1983, 1991) and Rory McIlroy (2014).

Last five winners:

• 2024

Winner: Billy Horschel (-20, playoff)

Runners-up: Thriston Lawrence, Rory McIlroy ( -20)

• 2023

Winner: Ryan Fox (-18)

Runners-up: Tyrrell Hatton, Aaron Rai (-17)

• 2022

Winner: Shane Lowry (-17)

Runners-up: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm (-16)

• 2021

Winner: Billy Horschel (-19)

Runners-up: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Laurie Canter, Jamie Donaldson (-18)

• 2020

Winner: Tyrrell Hatton (-19)

Runner-up: Victor Perez (-15)

Billy Horschel became just the second American to win the BMW PGA Championship in 2021. He regained the trophy last year, claiming a dramatic playoff win over Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence.

Following an almost five-month absence due to undergoing surgery on a hip injury, he returns to action to defend this week.

THE COURSE

Opening in 1926, the West Course at Wentworth was designed by prolific and renowned architect Harry Colt. It has undergone several renovations by Ernie Els's design company in the last two decades, the most recent of which came in 2016.

This pristine parkland course plays as a 7267-yard par 72 and possesses 4x par 3s (154-203 yards), 10x par 4s (383-491 yards) and 4x par 5s (520-610 yards). The course traditionally provided a difficult test but has succumbed to lower scoring in recent years, averaging a winning score of -18.6 across the last seven editions.

Wentworth is a densely tree-lined and undulating course, with frequent, subtle elevation changes and water in-play on five holes.

Its fairways are average in width, with the sloping nature of them leading to uneven lies. They are predominantly doglegged, requiring players to position the ball smartly to create the optimum angle of attack into the greens. Furthermore, strategic bunkering and thick rough punishingly guards the landing zones.

The bentgrass greens are small, fast and chiefly elevated, consistently ranking amongst the toughest to hit on the DP World Tour. They are severely contoured and sloped in places, protected by tightly-mown run-off areas and deep greenside bunkers.

Birdie chances come thick and fast here, but few are gifted. The par 3s are not monstrous in length, though they are home to many of the smallest greens at the course, whilst the easier scoring holes among the par 4s often involve tee shots into narrow fairways.

Wentworth's West Course finishes with consecutive par 5s, offering remarkable drama over the final two holes. The 17^th is the lengthiest of the four par 5s and is a significant test of precise ball-striking, with the 610-yard hole sweeping from right-to-left and requiring an approach into a small, narrow putting surface.

It finishes with the 523-yard 18^th. This left-to-right dogleg demands a drive into a wide, sloping fairway, before tempting players into attacking the multi-tiered, angled putting surface in two, where a creek lurks short and left. It always ensures late swings and excitement to the very end.

THE WEATHER

This week's field will encounter challenging conditions at Wentworth, with wind and rain predicted to be a feature throughout. It is forecast to be especially turbulent on Thursday, as persistent wind speeds of 19mph – gusting at up to 34mph – are accompanied by a steady stream of rain.

A strong breeze of 12mph, with gusts of 27mph, will remain for the rest of the week and rain is scheduled to be light on Friday/Saturday before a heavier downpour returns on Sunday.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation

Wentworth's West Course is a demanding all-round challenge that typically tests every club in the bag. However, it's iron play into these small putting surfaces that has historically been of most importance.

The 2024 winner Billy Horschel was a solid 23^rd in approach, and although his nearest challengers excelled in other areas, 4^th-place finishers Aaron Rai and Matthew Baldwin each shone with their irons. Rai ranked 1^st in approach and greens-in-regulation (GIR), and Baldwin ranking 3^rd in GIR and 4^th in approach.

Ryan Fox produced a high-class approach display when winning in 2023, ranking 6^th; 2022 champion Shane Lowry ranked 1^st in GIR and 9^th in approach; Horschel was superb with the clubs when claiming his first BMW PGA title in 2021, ranking 1^st in approach and GIR; and in 2019, Danny Willett ranked 1^st in GIR and 8^th in approach on his way to victory.

• Scrambling

Due to the challenging conditions and small putting surfaces, greens-in-regulation percentages will likely be low this week. Meaning players will need to scramble well to contend.

It's an area in which the top performers usually rank high, with Billy Horschel ranking 10^th last year and runners-up, Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence, ranking 2^nd and 7^th respectively.

Each of the previous four winners ranked inside the top five in this area. Ryan Fox ranked 5^th in 2023, Shane Lowry ranked 1^st in 2022, Billy Horschel ranked 3^rd in 2021, and Tyrrell Hatton ranked 2^nd in 2020.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Omega European Masters (Crans-sur-Sierre)

Crans-sur-Sierre's strategic, tree-lined course has small bentgrass greens and poses comparable questions from tee-to-green as Wenworth. These similarities have allowed the two events to develop bundles of noteworthy crossover form.

Notable correlating form:

Alex Noren:

BMW PGA (1^st) / European Masters (1^st, 1^st)

Danny Willett:

BMW PGA (1^st) / European Masters (1^st)

Tyrrell Hatton:

BMW PGA (1^st) / European Masters (3^rd, 3^rd, 3^rd)

Matteo Manassero:

BMW PGA (1^st) / European Masters (3^rd)

Thriston Lawrence:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / European Masters (1^st, 1^st)

Jamie Donaldson:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / European Masters (3^rd)

Thongchai Jaidee:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / European Masters (9^th, 9^th)

Lucas Bjerregaard:

BMW PGA (3^rd) / European Masters (2^nd)

Hideto Tanihara:

BMW PGA (3^rd) / European Masters (6^th)

Andrew Johnston:

BMW PGA (6^th, 7^th, 9^th) / European Masters (3^rd, 3^rd)

Richie Ramsay:

BMW PGA (6^th, 9^th) / European Masters (1^st)

BMW International Open (Golfclub Munchen Eichenried)

Golfclub Munchen Eichenried is a twisting, tree-lined course with bentgrass greens. It is one of the strongest statistical matches for Wentworth, possessing similar averages in both ball-striking and short-game difficulty.

Notable correlating form:

Ryan Fox:

BMW PGA (1^st) / BMW International (3^rd)

Alex Noren:

BMW PGA (1^st) / BMW International (4^th)

Thriston Lawrence:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / BMW International (1^st)

Kiradech Aphibarnrat:

BMW PGA (2^nd, 5^th) / BMW International (4^th)

Rikard Karlberg:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / BMW International (5^th)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout:

BMW PGA (3^rd, 5^th) / BMW International (3^rd)

Andy Sullivan:

BMW PGA (3^rd) / BMW International (5^th)

Rafa Cabrera-Bello:

BMW PGA (6^th, 8^th, 9^th) / BMW International (3^rd, 3^rd)

Francesco Laporta:

BMW PGA (6^th) / BMW International (7^th)

Irish Open (K Club)

The K Club has staged the Irish Open in 2016, 2023 and 2025, and like Wentworth it is a former Ryder Cup host. With its bentgrass greens, closely-matched ball-striking test, and exciting finish – with two par 5s in the last three holes – it has much in common with the West Course.

Notable correlating form:

Rory McIlroy:

BMW PGA (1^st) / K Club (1^st)

Ryan Fox:

BMW PGA (1^st) / K Club (3^rd)

Shane Lowry:

BMW PGA (1^st, 2^nd) / K Club (3^rd)

Tyrrell Hatton:

BMW PGA (1^st) / K Club (5^th)

Thriston Lawrence:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / K Club (3^rd)

Rafa Cabrera Bello:

BMW PGA (6^th, 8^th, 9^th) / K Club (3^rd)

Eddie Pepperell:

BMW PGA (6^th, 6^th) / K Club (8^th)

Shubhankar Sharma:

BMW PGA (9^th) / K Club (7^th)

British Masters (The Belfry – Brabazon Course)

The fairways at The Belfry's Brabazon Course are narrower than Wentworth. That said, this tree-lined, doglegging course ranks similarly in other areas and can prove a useful comp this week.

Notable correlating form:

Alex Noren:

BMW PGA (1^st) / British Masters (1^st)

Matteo Manassero:

BMW PGA (1^st) / British Masters (6^th)

Thriston Lawrence:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / British Masters (2^nd)

Andy Sullivan:

BMW PGA (3^rd) / British Masters (5^th, 6^th)

Richie Ramsay:

BMW PGA (6^th, 9^th) / British Masters (3^rd)

Niklas Norgaard:

BMW PGA (7^th) / British Masters (1^st)

Soudal Open/Belgian Knockout (Rinkven International)

I'll finish with host of the Soudal Open, Rinkven International. This is another winding parkland course that has parallels with Wentworth. In particular, the challenge that the elevated bentgrass greens deliver in approach and scrambling is akin to what the players will experience this week.

Notable correlating form:

Ryan Fox:

BMW PGA (1^st) / Soudal (2^nd)

Victor Perez:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / Belgian Knockout (3^rd)

Thriston Lawrence:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / Soudal (4^th)

Laurie Canter:

BMW PGA (2^nd) / Soudal (7^th)

Thomas Detry:

BMW PGA (5^th) / Belgian Knockout/Soudal (3^rd, 7^th)

Niklas Norgaard:

BMW PGA (7^th) / Soudal (2^nd)

THE FIELD

A stellar field has come together for this week's BMW PGA Championship, including 38 of the world's top 100. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy heads the lot after his Irish Open triumph, and he is joined by 10 of the other 11 members of Europe's Ryder Cup team, with Austria's Sepp Straka the only absentee.

Billy Horschel returns to defend and is one of 10 former winners in attendance, alongside Ryan Fox (2023), Shane Lowry (2022), Tyrrell Hatton (2020), Danny Willett (2019), Francesco Molinari (2018), Alex Noren (2017), Rory McIlroy (2014), Matteo Manassero (2013), and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald (2012, 2011).

The entries are strengthened by several PGA Tour regulars, with Adam Scott and Si Woo Kim returning for another go at Wentworth. Whilst Hideki Matsuyama, Corey Conners, Jhonnatan Vegas, Michael Kim, Ryan Gerard and Patrick Rodgers make their debuts.

In addition, LIV's Joaquin Niemann will also play Wentworth for the first time this week, accompanied by Brooks Koepka – making his first appearance since 2015 – and Patrick Reed, who has never finished outside the top five in three attempts.

*You can check out the latest BMW PGA Championship 2025 Odds and bet on this event over on betfred.com

SELECTIONS

Market leaders (1/4 5 places): Rory McIlroy 11/2, Jon Rahm 11/2, Tommy Fleetwood 11/1, Tyrrell Hatton 16/1, Ludvig Aberg 16/1, Joaquin Niemann 20/1

2.25 pts Matt Fitzpatrick each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 22/1

With six top-10 finishes across his last eight starts, Matt Fitzpatrick is in excellent form at present. He's striking his irons strongly and having not missed a cut at Wentworth, he looks primed to record his first victory since 2023.

Fitzpatrick began the year slower than he'd have liked but he's barely put a foot wrong since finishing 8^th at the PGA Championship in May. He hasn't missed the cut in his last 13 starts and after finishes of 4^th in The Open and Scottish Open in July, he arrives here with a 6^th in the British Masters and 5^th in the European Masters on his two most recent outings.

His approach play stood out at Crans, ranking 4^th and this has been a theme of his current run of form, gaining strokes with the clubs in 13 of his last 15 starts. He has the driver under control and possessing one of the sharpest short games around, ranking 4^th in putting and 7^th in scrambling on the DP World Tour in 2025, he ticks every box statistically.

Fitzpatrick made his debut in this tournament in 2016, finishing 47^th, and as mentioned, he hasn't missed the cut in eight subsequent visits. He's hit the top 10 twice, achieving a best of 7^th in 2020 – an event in which he shared the halfway lead – and as a two-time winner of the European Masters, his comp form enhances his profile.

1.5 pts Alex Noren each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 35/1

Speaking of terrific short-game players who have won at Crans, recent British Masters champion Alex Noren holds enormous appeal. He won this event in 2017 and capable of stacking up wins in quick succession, he can add his name to that illustrious list of two-time winners.

Noren returned from a hamstring injury in May and it took him little time to get up to speed, as he was a surprise contender through three rounds of the PGA Championship – entering the final round in 2^nd – before a difficult final round saw him slip to 17^th.

He initially struggled following that, missing three of his next five cuts, but he returned to form in the 3M Open four starts ago, finishing 7^th. He took another step in the right direction at the Wyndham Championship, finishing 3^rd and he picked up where he left off when returning to Europe, producing a fine weekend display to claim the British Masters.

The Swede narrowly missed the cut in the European Masters two weeks ago, though it was a positive to see his iron play continue to thrive. He ranked 13^th in approach for his win at The Belfry, 7^th in the Wyndham Championship, and with a short game to rival anybody in this week’s field, his skillset is ideally suited to this test.

That is an opinion not only franked by Noren’s victory at Wentworth in 2017, but three further top-10 finishes. He’s also a two-time winner at Crans and with his win at The Belfry offering additional and up-to-date encouragement, expect him to feature prominently this week.

1.25 pts Rasmus Hojgaard each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 40/1

Rasmus Hojgaard has been in electric form since turning his focus back to the DP World Tour, which helped him secure that upcoming Ryder Cup debut at Bethpage Black. He’s put together a solid record here in recent seasons, and with his long game looking in fine shape over the last month, he’s well placed to register a career-best effort at Wentworth.

Rasmus has been reasonably consistent in his rookie PGA Tour season, though only really went close to winning when runner-up in the Zurich Classic alongside Nicolai. He’s also enjoyed success in the majors, making every cut and picked up his first career top-20 in The Open five starts ago, finishing 16^th.

He’s been a man possessed since returning to the comfort of the DP World Tour four weeks ago. A 2^nd-place finish in the Danish Golf Championship – an event in which he was the 54-hole leader – was followed by another impressive performance at The Belfry, finishing 13^th. Meanwhile, when we last saw him, he produced a brilliant 14-under-par weekend at the European Masters, rattling home to a 2^nd-place finish.

His iron play has been of the highest order of late, ranking 1^st in Denmark, 3^rd at Crans, and he’s 3^rd overall in this field across the last six weeks. He’s driving it much straighter than earlier in the season and currently enjoying his best period of 2025 with the putter, the Dane is at the top of his game.

Hojgaard missed his first two cuts here, but he has returned to finish 18^th, 45^th and 38^th in the last three years. As a past winner at Crans and The Belfry, we know this type of test suits and having taken down Rory McIlroy in the 2024 Irish Open, this strong field should hold no fear for him.

1 pt Ryan Fox each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 66/1

Winning this event in 2023, Ryan Fox is no stranger to coming out on top of a strong field at Wentworth. The New Zealander has had a brilliant year on the PGA Tour and although his form had dropped off when we last saw him, I’m expecting him to be fresh and ready to go for this return to the DP World Tour.

Following an inconsistent start, Fox really found his feet in the middle part of the season. He earned the first PGA Tour title of his career in a three-man playoff at the Myrtle Beach Classic and just three starts later he doubled his tally, beating Sam Burns in another playoff in the Canadian Open.

Top-20 finishes in the U.S. Open and Travelers Championship came after that, but he does enter this week without a top-40 in his last five starts.

He was on fire with his irons during that purple patch and it is indeed this part of his game that has shone most throughout the year, ranking 41^st on the PGA Tour in approach. He’s been largely dependable with the putter during 2025 and owning a fine touch around the greens, he’s a strong fit for the course and conditions.

Aside from his 2023 victory, Fox has recorded one other top-20 finish here in 2020. He also has an impressive array of results on comp courses to aid his chances: finishing 2^nd in the Soudal Open, 3^rd in the BMW International Open, and 3^rd in the Irish Open at the K Club in 2023.

1 pt Laurie Canter each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 100/1

I’ve backed Laurie Canter on each of his last two starts and he’s been somewhat disappointing, finishing 64^th in the British Masters and 42^nd in the Irish Open. That said, he threatened to get involved numerous times at the K Club and having found something on the greens there, this typically strong ball-striker is worth one final shot at Wentworth – a course where he finished 2^nd in 2021.

Canter made a flying start to the season, claiming his second DP World Tour title in the Bahrain Championship. He also finished 2^nd in the South African Open, 3^rd in the Dubai Desert Classic, and whilst his results regressed soon after, he struck the ball effectively in Scotland and Germany across his last five starts.

He got it going in almost every round last week but continually threw shots away late on, recording three of his four double bogeys on the back nine. Whilst his approach play wasn’t as precise as he’d have liked, he found a high percentage of fairways and greens, and having also ranked 7^th in putting, there were signs that he isn’t all that far away from a big performance.

Canter is renowned for his elite driving game, but it’s the iron play that has shone on each previous visit here, especially for that runner-up finish in 2021, where he ranked 10^th in approach. Although he missed the cut in 2022, he does possess top-10 finishes in the Soudal and BMW International Opens. Suggesting his 2021 effort won’t be a one-off.

1 pt Daniel Brown each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 125/1

Young New Zealander Kazuma Kobori looks a suitable fit for Wentworth, and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see last year’s runner-up Thriston Lawrence bounce back from last week’s missed cut in Ireland. However, I’m going to round out my six selections with Daniel Brown.

The Englishman is playing the best golf of his career in 2025, largely down to fantastic approach play. He’s gone well on several of the comp courses mentioned above and having tasted contention among a strong field in last year’s Open Championship, he won’t shy away from this elite field.

Brown got off to a positive start this year, recording finishes of 2^nd in the Bahrain Championship, 10^th in the Qatar Masters and 14^th in the Joburg Open in his first five outings. He failed to impress on his next four starts but burst back into life at the BMW International Open six starts ago, producing a composed final-round display to win his second DP World Tour trophy.

He’s remained in form since, arriving here with finishes of 19^th in the Nexo Championship, 8^th in the British Masters and 9^th in last week’s Irish Open. These results were engineered by high-class iron play, which was particularly evident last week, as he ranked 5^th in approach and 6^th in greens-in-regulation at the K Club.

That said, Brown is gaining strokes in every area this season, and with that win in the BMW International Open, along with top-10s at The Belfry and the K Club, he has every chance of significantly improving on his 51^st-place finish at Wentworth in 2023.

You can access all our latest Golf Odds over on Betfred.com

You can find all Jamie's latest Golf Betting Tips over on our dedicated golf Insights hub