Ernie Els explains the changes made to Wentworth ahead of the BMW PGA Championship
The star-studded BMW PGA Championship will be returning to the coveted Wentworth Club this week and the course has undergone another renovation by Ernie Els who redesigned the course back in 2010.
After getting disappointing reviews from many of the top-ranked players like Lee Westwood, Els returned to Wentworth to make some more changes in the layout.
This week, the BMW PGA Championship will be returning to Wentworth with a newly renovated course and Els is hoping that the players will be more comfortable with the changes.
He said, “The scoring is going to be better. I think 14, 16 under is going to be the winning score again. Hopefully we will have more smiling faces from the players this year”.
Els has probably taken a serious note of Westwood’s comments from his final round loss last year when the Englishman gave his remarks that Els has made the course tougher than it was before.
Els has undertaken several major changes in the layout, which includes returning the 12th to par-five, measuring 531 yards.
Another bank has been added at the 15th, a few tweaks on the 17th to make it docile and also a little refurbishing of the 18th for general ease in playing the tough greens.
Els added, “I think the guys can really drive the ball down the right side and come in with almost a middle iron now. It’s going to play a lot easier. There’s a lot more room for you to shape the ball right to left into the green.”
Speaking about his changes on the 18th, Els said:
“I think it is going to be a great finishing hole again. There’s water, and so there’s risk and reward”.
The BMW PGA Championship, often touted as the fifth major on the European Tour, is one of the most celebrated event on the tour apart from the Open and other major events.
Els on the other hand, has a splendid course designing portfolio and has designed several courses around the world including the Mission Golf Course in China.
He has also worked over TPC Sawgrass renovation project, the venue of the coveted Players Championship on PGA Tour.
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