2024 BMW PGA Championship Preview: Betting Picks, Top Contenders, and TV Coverage

Where: Wentworth Club (Surrey, England)

When: September 19-22

Watch: The Golf Channel

2024 BMW PGA Championship Overview

As one of the most highly anticipated events on the DP World Tour, the BMW PGA Championship returns this Thursday to Wentworth Club just outside of London. The field is set for this championship tournament and features some high-profile names, including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Adam Scott, Shane Lowry, Alex Noren, and more.

McIlroy comes into this one as the clear betting favorite, with Bovada currently offering his odds to win the event at just +600. Fleetwood, Scott, and Lowry are next in line at odds just over +1000. These odds may make it seem like Rory is the sure-fire winner, but with ten PGA tour cards on the line, I expect a lot of movement throughout the field and some extra incentive to place in the top 10 by the completion of the final round on Sunday.

For those watching this event in the US, the first tee times will be in the very early morning hours, but The Golf Channel will have coverage across all four rounds. What better way to start your morning than by watching some of the world’s best golfers take on Wentworth’s challenging track?

Course Details: What to Expect at Wentworth Club

Since 1984, the Wentworth Club has been the host of the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship. Known locally as one of the most prestigious courses across the United Kingdom, the par 72 West course will play just shy of 7,300 yards.

While many modern-day courses prove that this is not one of the longest courses these golfers will face in any given season, Wentworth, and its rich history, will prove to be challenging, nonetheless. Most notably, Wentworth Club features difficult tree lines and greens that play extremely firm and fast, regardless of weather conditions. You can always expect some moisture in the foggy London area, but conditions should not soften to the point of making these four rounds any easier.

As the West course finishes with back-to-back par 5 holes, there are opportunities to shave strokes off your score at the conclusion of each round. There will be some water in play, so golfers will need to weigh the decision to lay up or attack the green in two in search of eagles.

Top Betting Picks: Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood

To succeed at Wentworth, there are a few factors that will make or break a golfer’s 4-round score. Putting will be a key differentiator, but more important will likely be the ability to attack greens from 150 yards or further. I have examined the field and highlighted some of my best picks at the BMW PGA Championship below. Last week, we went two for three on our picks, so let’s keep things rolling!

Aaron Rai – Top 5 Finish (+350)

I have my eye on Aaron Rai as he heads to Wentworth Club to take on the West course. After an extremely impressive stretch from June to July that saw Rai finish T2, T7, and T4, he also secured a victory at the Wyndham Championship. In his last three events, however, Rai was unable to crack the top 20, mainly due to his faulty putting.

Where he excels, and what very well may separate him from the rest of the field, is his approach play. In approach shots over 150 yards out, Rai ranks in the 98th percentile in Poor Shot Avoidance Percentage and in the 92nd percentile for Greens in Regulation. If he can dial in his putting like he did during the summer months, Aaron Rai can contend at Wentworth, a local course he knows well. There is a reason, after all, that he has the 5th best odds to win the whole tournament (+1800 at Bovada).

Tommy Fleetwood – Finishing Position 15th or Better (-120)

Fleetwood is playing some great golf right now and is another Englishman that is poised for a strong finish at this event. In his last four events, Fleetwood has finished in the top-5 twice and has finished with positive total strokes gained in all four. The only real outlier on his season is his missed cut at The Open Championship, which seems to have allowed him to re-tap into his full potential.

His driving accuracy and approach play, along with his play around the greens, have been tremendous. If Fleetwood reads the greens well, he can be dangerous with his putter, but look for him to find himself well within the field average distance from the pin.