Big Guns Praise Wentworth Changes

Prior to this week’s BMW PGA Championship some of the European Tour’s biggest names have spoken in favour of the alterations made to the famous West Course by Ernie Els. Angel Cabrera, David Howell and Jose Maria Olazabal have voiced their support for the longer and tougher test posed by the “Burma Road.”

Fergus Bisset
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Big Guns Praise Wentworth Changes

Prior to this week?s BMW PGA Championship some of the European Tour?s biggest names have spoken in favour of the alterations made to the famous West Course by Ernie Els. Angel Cabrera, David Howell and Jose Maria Olazabal have voiced their support for the longer and tougher test posed by the ?Burma Road.?

?It?s wet but I have to say the changes are fair.? Said two-time Masters Champion Olazabal. ?The golf course demands a higher level of accuracy than before.?

Wentworth resident Els has overseen alterations that mean the West Course is now 310 yards longer at 7,308 yards. In addition 30 new bunkers have been built. His intention was to keep the original character of the Harry Colt design but to bring it in line with the distances that today?s professionals can hit the ball. Defending PGA champion Angel Cabrera believes the modifications are a success. ?He just lengthened it a little bit, he did not touch the original design.? Said the Argentine. ?I think the changes have been really well done.?

Play in the £2.9 million BMW Championship gets underway at 7.00 on Thursday morning.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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