Els Believes West Course Rewards Risk

Ernie Els came in for some fierce criticism 12 months ago after he and billionaire club owner Richard Caring toughened up the West Course, including the introduction of a stream in front of the famous final hole.

The idea was to make it more risk-reward, but for the vast majority there was too much risk and not enough reward.

Simon Khan won the title after Luke Donald, needing an eagle to tie after taking seven on the long 17th, still laid up short of the water and had to try to pitch in.

He almost made it, but now the target has been made more enticing with a bigger and lower green.

'I guess you could say it's taken two bites of the cherry to get it exactly as we wanted, but this ultimately is the best solution for this iconic finishing hole,' said Els on his website.

'It's a fair balance of risk and reward and that small extra margin for error definitely makes a difference to a player's shot selection.

'I believe more guys will take it on in two at this year's championship. I hope so anyway. It may help produce an exciting climax, which is what a tournament of this stature deserves.

'Updating a classic golf course, one of the most famous in the world in the case of Wentworth, is an honour and at the same time a huge responsibility.

'We're proud of what we have achieved and we feel it has firmly established the course as one of the game's finest inland lay-outs.

'After last year's championship a decision was taken to make a couple more minor adjustments - to the eighth green where we've softened the spine running through the centre of the green and primarily on the 18th, where we lowered the green by 50 centimetres and made the putting surface bigger by 25%.

'We also carried out subtle recontouring to the green complex, making it somewhat more inviting for second shots.'

Els may not have taken the PGA title, but he won a record seven World Match Plays on the course.

'Every year this is one of my personal favourite stops in my playing schedule,' he added.

'You could call this part of the world pretty much home turf for me, having had a house here on the Wentworth estate for more than 10 years.

'I know the ins and outs and twists and turns of this golf course probably as well as any other course in the world.

'And this is a wonderful tournament - one that I believe can hold its own in the very highest company.

'Everything about it is pure class - the golf course, the field, the way the tournament is run and the way the players are looked after.

'Also the British golf fans are among the best in the world. This year's tournament is that bit more special, as it is the first time all four current major champions are competing in the field.

'Two of them are South African (Open winner Louis Oosthuizen and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel), both fine young men and good friends of mine, which is a great showcase for our nation's golfing talent and I know a real inspiration to many young kids back home.

'So, it should be a great week for the players, the fans and for the European Tour in general.'

BMW PGA Championship leader board - LIVE SCORING

Harrington Disappointed to Miss BMW

Harrington at R&A clinic in Sunningdale

Padraig Harrington has spoken of his frustration at being forced out of this week's BMW PGA Championship through injury.

The Dubliner has been sidelined by a knee injury and admits he is "absolutely gutted" to miss the European Tour's flagship event at Wentworth.

Indeed, such is his disappointment that the 39-year-old has decided to spend this weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix rather than put himself through the agony of watching.

"It's so hard, especially when I was starting to feel good at the weekend," he stated.

"I was thinking I might have pulled out a bit early, but it's gone from acute pain to persistent niggling pain and it seems the physios know a thing or two."

"I've never been to a Grand Prix, but I can't sit at home watching another tournament and I'm basically going to have a week's holiday to get me away from the temptation of practising." 

Padraig HarringtonQuotes of the week

Harrington was at nearby Sunningdale on Tuesday in his role as a Royal and Ancient Club ambassador for a clinic with schoolchildren brought together by the Golf Foundation charity.

He also found time to attend the European Tour's awards dinner at a Heathrow hotel last night, but from there it was off to Monte Carlo rather than Wentworth.

"I've never been to a Grand Prix, but I can't sit at home watching another tournament and I'm basically going to have a week's holiday to get me away from the temptation of practising," he added.

Harrington expects to reacquaint himself with his clubs next week when he makes a trip to this year's Open Championship venue, Sandwich.

Meanwhile, his next tournament appearance will be in Memphis at the St Jude Classic on June 9th - 12th, a week before the US Open.

Tiger Agent Mark Steinberg Leaves IMG

Tiger Woods and Mark Steinberg

Mark Steinberg, the agent for Tiger Woods the last 12 years and head of the IMG golf division, did not renew his contract this week and is no longer with the sports management company.

IMG announced a reorganisation of its golf division Tuesday evening, with Steinberg no longer involved. The move could lead to Woods leaving Cleveland-based IMG, which has represented him his entire career.

Steinberg's contract was to expire in June.

He was negotiating a new deal with IMG on Tuesday when talks broke down, according to two officials aware of the discussions. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release information.

Steinberg did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The officials said Woods and Annika Sorenstam would be free to leave IMG and stay with Steinberg if they wanted. Woods signed with IMG when he turned pro in August 1996, and Steinberg became his agent three years later.

At a press conference earlier Tuesday to promote the AT&T National outside Philadelphia, Woods was asked about his future with IMG and with Steinberg.

"I'm committed to both, with IMG, and Mark's my agent," Woods said. "It's been a great relationship. I had a chance to go through a lot of ... basically my entire professional career and learn a lot about the business."

Woods spoke of going to several dinners with IMG founder Mark H. McCormack until he died in 2003.

"Then obviously, my relationship with Mark (Steinberg)," he said. "But I'm very happy with both."

Woods has a close relationship with Steinberg, a reserve on the Illinois basketball team that went to the Final Four in 1989. If he were to leave IMG and stay with Steinberg, it likely would not make much of a difference in his golf schedule or even his endorsements, as Steinberg did most of that work.

Steinberg has been actively seeking an endorsement for Woods' bag since late last fall.

In a two-sentence press release Tuesday evening, IMG said Guy Kinnings and Robbie Henchman would be co-heads of IMG Golf. Kinnings was senior vice president of European golf operations, while Henchman was senior vice president of golf in Asia Pacific.

Alastair Johnston, the vice chairman of IMG, will oversee the business of the golf division.

IMG's billionaire owner, 71-year-old Ted Forstmann, is battling brain cancer. 

In an interview published Tuesday in The New York Times, Forstmann said he wants to build IMG "quicker than I was going to" so he can pour the money into a charitable trust and give it away.

Garcia Forced out of Open Qualifier

Sergio Garcia

England’s Brian Davis topped the qualifiers for the British Open after a six under par round of 64 at the Gleneagles Club in Plano, Texas as Sergio Garcia was forced out with an infected fingernail.

Davis finished one shot ahead of American Chad Campbell as heavy rain forced the qualifier to be reduced from 36 holes to 18. No longer exempt after falling out of the world’s top 50, Garcia was on level par when he quit after four holes.

Runner-up to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie four years ago after bogeying the final hole and then losing a play-off, the 31-year-old Spaniard could still make it to Sandwich in July through upcoming events.

But now 73rd in the world — he was second behind Tiger Woods just over two years ago — he has also entered a qualifying event in Memphis on June 6th for the US Open the following week.

Joining Davis and Campbell in July will be Australia’s Nathan Green who shot a 66, a score matched by Americans Davis Love III, Spencer Levin, Chris Tidland and Bob Estes. The final spot on offer went to a Jerry Kelly after a play-off.

Manuel Shares Memories at Seve ProAm

Olazabal and Jimenez at Seve Pro Am

Manuel Ballesteros broke down in tears as some of golf's biggest names turned up at Wentworth on Monday to pay tribute to his late brother Severiano.

Manuel was an experienced professional himself and had already won in Europe when his younger brother burst on to the scene in the mid-1970s.

However, Ballesteros senior put his own career to one side in order to help Seve, who died earlier this month at the age of 54 after a two-year battle with brain cancer, start on the road to greatness.

"I have so much history with Seve, more than his nephews, more than my other two brothers, more than the rest of the family," 61-year-old Manuel said.

"I used to travel with him on the circuit, I shared a room with him, practised with him. I was there with him when he won all five of his majors, apart from the 1983 US Masters.

"He was the most charismatic player, the player with the most genius. But I have lost my brother, not a golfing genius, and he was someone I was very proud of," said a tearful Manuel as he made his way up the hill leading to the iconic Wentworth clubhouse.

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal, eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie, U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Ross Fisher were among the competitors in Monday's 'Ole Seve' pro-am.

All funds raised from the event were in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Manuel, who won twice during his professional career, paid an especially warm tribute to Seve's former Ryder Cup partner Olazabal.

"He and Seve were very good friends."

Manuel revealed he had serious health problems of his own shortly before his brother's death.

"I had heart surgery 15 days before he died," said the 61-year-old. "I feel better but I still feel some pain and I take tablets to help.

"I have nothing artificial round my heart but I feel lucky to be alive. I said before the surgery, 'Don't tell Seve because he has enough on his mind', but someone from the family told him and he was crying, crying, crying.

"I'm not angry but I was upset by that."

His eyes lit up though when he looked back fondly at Seve's early days on tour.

"He was 17 when he started and I was 25," Manuel explained. "I had already been playing tournaments for seven years in Europe so I did everything for him, booked his air tickets, accommodation, everything off the course, so that nobody would bother him.

"All he needed to concentrate on was practice, practice, practice and playing, playing, playing."

Manuel said his handsome young brother was always destined to be a top golfer.

Asked if he knew Seve would one day be the world number one, he replied: 'No, not really - who can be sure that his own brother can be the best player in the world?

"I knew he was going to be a really good player but I never imagined he could win five majors. I am no god but I knew at that age he was going to be one of the best, at least in Europe."