Episode 1 Golf: PGA Championship

Hello and welcome back to Wentworth, the home and headquarters of the

European tour, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. If

you're a believer that life begins at 40, then this BMW PGA

Championship will underline that assertion. They're playing for

Wapping prize this week, the biggest on the European tour of

over �600,000. Enit to win it, the best field ever assembled,

including 14 major champions and the top three in the world rankings.

We have a great feel that my great golf course. Hopefully, we will

produce some great golf. -- a great It is the flagship event of the

European tour. It is a tough test, one of the toughest tests of the

And this is obviously a course that I have been able to manage well

round, I have figured out a way to play it well and I am excited or my

chances this year. -- excited about my chances.

The world No. 1 spot has been passed around like a hot potato

this season between Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald. It could change

hands again this week. No. 3 we Westwood might move within touching

distance of the top. Justin Rose is also a favourite in the top 10.

With Matton Chi Ma, Darren Clarke and 18 of the top 50 players in the

world attending, this is truly a star-studded field. Few have a

record to match Peter Alliss. You're a three-time winner. Only

Nick Faldo has more. You arrive here as a newly inducted member of

the World Golf Hall of fame. Very many congratulations. What an

amazing honour. It was, and it was very difficult to explain in simple

When the letter came informing me that my peers had voted Meehan, I

thought, shall I write them a lovely letter. My wife said, come

on, I knew several of them had not gone. I thought, it won't be the

end of the world of I don't go. Anyway, we went and I am so pleased

we did, because it was magical, one of the great experiences of my life.

I thought, this is ridiculous! It must be my twin brother a somebody.

It was lovely. It was very well deserved. Out of about only 141

people, only 38 people were alive! Thank you, Lords. I am so glad you

enjoyed it, Peter. This is a place you love to come back to. When you

think back 12 months ago, what a challenge we had on that final day

in the play-off between Luke Donald, who took over as world No. 1. This

is still a live issue as we come back 12 months later. It is so

close. It is like the through ball between the two Manchester teams.

There are similar things happening here. If he holes this putt, if he

misses this putt... It is all a bit of a jumble, but a wonderful jumble.

I am so pleased that we have in Europe so many very, very, very

good players. It is wonderful to see. Remarkable times for the

European tour and indeed, UK golf as well. You have to go back 20

Georgia's when Jose-Maria Olazabal will was there and European,

British golf was on a high. -- 20 years. It is wonderful how it has

progressed. It is getting more consistent. I think Luke Donald is

wonderful, I am a great fan of Rory McIlroy. A wonderful field playing

for a top prize. Glorious conditions for the opening round on

Thursday. When you look across the course, it looks on magnificent

condition. The head greenkeeper says that the building has been --

the build up has been very challenging. It has been the

warmest and driest March on record followed by the wettest April. It

defies belief to see how marvellous it looks. How appropriate that

Ernie Els, the man who helped redesign this course, could show

everyone away. -- sure everyone the world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who had

already had an eagle and a bogey on the cards by the time he went to

all seven. He took advantage, moving to two under par. Nicely

done here from the edge of that wealth. -- from the edge of the

12th hole. By the time Rory McIlroy reached the 10th green, things were

unravelling. He dropped shots at the 8th green and the 9th green.

His fellow Northern Irishman was having an equally up and down kind

of day. That lovely putt at the 11th to Kemback to one under par. -

Mark Warren had a very strong middle part of his a writ -- of his

this beautiful day. Mark Warren is somewhere down there. He started

off at 7 o'clock this morning but has been changed from a par four to

Peter. It looked good. Nice bounce, as well. The forget about those

bounces, don't they? Mark Warren and the 18th. This one is left to

for a 68. He finishes well. The Ian Poulter. Mr Goto under par. --

this week. Let's hope it works for him. Eagle chance. He birdied the

11th, he was looking to birdie the 12. That will taken into red

he pulled it left a bit? He certainly has. It is not a million

miles away from the out of bounds. That is horrid. There will probably

be a rule to let him escape. A bit iffy! It is out of bounds, Ken.

That little fence used to be further back. The Cup defence in

back. There is a little footpath trade! That is nice to see. The

halo slipped there for a moment. Frustrating. A par five, expecting

a birdie or perhaps any goal. Westwood second of the 13th.

Majestic. Massive crowds out this of bounds by a couple of inches. A

costly hole. The 12th hole, Ernie Els for a birdie. The outright

leader. Very relaxed. Home territory. Paul Lawrie. In a good

vein of form. Second shot to the 12th hole. I Ripper. What a gem!

but for Lee Westwood. -- virtually straight up the hill, this putt for

Lee Westwood. The South African going well. He is two under par.

the back here. -- the flight is on Lawrie. He is level par. This is a

putt for eagle. That was too speedy. It Coppell left have. Why does it

happen to me? Aerials for another birdie. That is right in the bag of

the wall. -- Ernie Els. He is going well, six under par. That is

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line as Ernie Els. You can always beginning of a role -- long run for

home. This is a par putt. He has another two or three birdies to

finish, but you can also take a few left. It usually works its way down

from the right. One more hop and it under for the burly South African.

Trying to follow in the footsteps of Charl Schwartzel and Louis

2-under. But deport at the 18th. Well done, young sir. We usually

see you in an old mackintosh and a battered car, but that was a hell

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they? Assured back here, shot there. should ignore the hole.

E is Lee we spent days -- Lee Westwood. Good speed, but not quite

enough. That does annoy you. He was a long way away.

The 18th, Jeev Milka Singh. An to do. Was he pitching up there

hoping for a... I am not sure, it was a bit awkward. I don't think he

has fallen in love with this hole see it. I would say that is almost

unplayable, Ken, wouldn't you? Me DEC is debating where the best

done, Robert Rock. Well played the 18th. A Los giddy one. Robert!

-- Robert! -- Robbed! Didn't he get clubhouse lead for an eagle at the

18th. He only just touched that, it Bernd Weisberger now.

Robert, excellent start this morning and a glorious day at

Wentworth. How did the round go for you? At well, it finished well.

A was a little shaky start to laugh because of a bad pro-am yesterday,

I played poorly, so I was cautious of how I would play. I drove the

ball a bit better to start with, then I settled into the round or

keep, level par, vent finished with two birdies to make it 4-under. It

two birdies to make it 4-under. It is nice to be playing Wentworth in

the sunshine. Playing is relatively easy in the

morning with the greens. The there are a lot of people

under-par, but they -- it is no pushover, this tweaking of the

course. They seem to like it. McIlroy gets his little tiddler in,

bit of a debate with this position of the ball in the sticks whether

his ball moved or not. Interesting from where he is standing.

Beautiful shot, he strikes the ball so well and he has been hitting it

right out in the middle for two or three years. He is a delight to

watch, good rhythm, powerful, lazy eagle. A bit short of pace, that

will be a nice birdie. -- for an ice eagle. And nice steady one no

for 70. Very meticulous, in she the 18th, I am not sure where Ernie

We go to Andrew Dodt at the 12th, he has got this for a par... Good

play, succeeded in doing so at the 18th. That looked impossible, I

thought he had lost all his senses their back. He has chipped it out

onto the fairway, cutting through the bush and emerges triumphant

the bush and emerges triumphant into the sunlight. The Big Easy.

Lee, 2-under start to this year's event at Wentworth. A couple of

changes, obviously at the 18th, what do you think of the changes

and you start? I think it is the best start I have

ever had in this tournament. I did not hit the ball very well, I

started poorly and had a bit of scrabbling, and I finally caught up

on the third, I made a double. But the changes are good, 18 is now a

really good hole, it situ to a good chance of agreement that is now

affair. -- it sets you. If you do get on off the tee, it rewards you.

Having come so close last year, is there unfinished business on this

course this year? Not really, I played well last year

and gave myself a good chance. I did not play the last three holes

well, as I have said before, I got what I deserved in the play-off.

The picture shot was not good enough, it had too much drawn it,

then too much spin. I should have controlled it better. We wish you

absolute put skids out of the sand, magnificent shot. He has been in

the woods, chipped out for two, there for three, it is only going

to be a par. Andrew Dodt at the 13th. 3-under,

was 5-under after his opening six holes. Great chance of a birdie at

tucked away, 68 for the course designer, and rejuvenating course

designer, finishes with a couple of fives - you could hold far better

than that. But no great damage and. -- you could hope for better than

The whole thing looks wonderful, if this weather stays fair, it will be

wonderful. Ernie, great start, you got to 6-

under at one point, how do you rate that round?

It was almost as good as I could play through Matt -- through 13

holes. I missed a couple of shots, 114 I came up short, or 15 I came

up short with a six-iron, then a birdie on the last two, but other

than that I was very pleased with the round. How pleased are you with

the golf course, because there have been a couple of ward weeks since

12 months ago? 18, obviously, being very controversial, we took away

the fairway bunker, you can really get it down there now. We opened up

the green, so you are still coming in with a long iron, but at least

give it -- at least you can get on the green with a proper shot. We

need some changes are was really happy with, especially 12, a par

five. Guys have scoring opportunities now.

There we go, the book -- the ball of Graeme McDowell move, and he

called the penalty on himself. He will have a two-shot penalty, and

signed for a 2-over par round of 74. The race for the prize in the event

first staged in 1955 is well under way.

Before a ball was hit in anger here this week, on Tuesday night golf

attire was swapped for black tie, as the prizes were handed out for

last season's success in the annual European Tour of wards. And a very

prestigious and enjoyable night it was, too.

was, too. This was a celebration of a season

in which three of the four Majors were claimed by European Tour

members and the world rankings much -- once again dominated by Europe.

Tom Lewis, the Ricky of the year, he went from leading amateur at the

Open to a first-time professional Open to a first-time professional

we are in only his third event of the Tour. A studio with all the

players and of people out here, the important people, and to be a part

of that in one year, when in last year I was outside watching, it is

something I would not have thought A special achievement award went to

Peter Canning, a former Tour champion himself, now in demand for

his coaching services for the likes of Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen

and many others. It was Luke Donald who dominated

proceedings, the golfer of the Year award and the Players' Player award,

as voted for by his Fair Oak -- fellow professionals.

The does a tremendous honour. This is always one of the most fun

nights. I remember standing up here last year and listening to all of

the guys who had won Majors and been successful, and it is just

nice to be able to come here and do something special, pit mining won a

trophy that has some of the greats of European golf.

Yes, Luke Donald sweeping three awards, quite rightly, making

history last season as the first man ever to win the money lists on

both sides of the Atlantic. As he set himself in his victory speech,

the kick-start to that success was winning this title, the BMW PGA

here at Wentworth dock - back here at Wentworth. Naturally everyone

was keen to see how he would fare Peter Lawrie and Raphael Cabrera

bellow have made the best progress of any one this afternoon. Let's

done, 68. A very nice score on this beautiful day. What is all that! He

should have done better than that with all those lovely birdies.

has been fortunate here, just will be up putt for Eagle. He hears

Drysdale at the 15th. -- here is it is very easy to market via a 4

ft by. Warren! -- it is very easy to knock it four or five feet past.

The war got in the way! -- the short. He fancied it there. He will

move on to the 13th. He is three- under-par. He is the banning the

leader. -- he is to be behind the leader. A reminder of how things

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That large group also includes Finds the green beautifully. Very

is currently a couple under par. thought the coin was going to nudge

it to the left. He took a drop shot. He had driven into the bunker on

the right. Very, very fine putt. It is a classy player, isn't he?

Lovely, elegant swing, his short game has improved vastly over the

last two years. Justin Rose, at chip. A long shot up the hill. He

has decided to pitch it. He has that was always going to be to putt.

Our Leader currently from Ireland. Peter Lawrie. He leads by one from

Scotsman David Drysdale. Plenty of under-par scores. It is a par 72

this year. It was a par 71 last out of the rough, here. This is

going to be fast. It is quite a long club. He wants to threaded

between the bunker on the right and a beautiful little chip. The

Scotsman are going well. This is an awkward one. There are a two slope.

than that clears have been used to. Particularly on the PGA tour. --

than the players have been used to. I wonder how much of that was due

to what we have seen before. He seems perturbed by something,

perhaps a little blemish on the line. They are hoping for three

birdies. Justin Rose, no MacDonald, both denied. He will be wondering

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His body language says, no. What a break that is! Absolutely

astonishing. That was in and then it bounced out, of nothing! That is

impossible, Andrew. The water is about 89 inches deep. -- 8 or nine

inches deep. There are stones at the bottom of the water but that is

remarkable. It must be very shallow at the edge there. What a piece of

fortune. A very tricky shot left for him, but he is hitting his

third and not his 4th. He will not be able to ground his club, he is

technically inside the hazard there. look very inviting. They have a

dusting of sand. Underneath, it is very solid. If you just do not get

it right, it is difficult. You end from Peter Lawrie. The Greens are

one shot, with a par five 18th to come. A big break for David

is a bonus. Out of the sand. This new 16th green, it was subtly

different to the old green. Very, very severe slopes on the 16th

green. To join Peter Lawrie at six under par. This for a round of 66

From David Drysdale. Lucky, lucky, lucky. It slips in the side. A

great round of golf, just one bogey. Seven birdies. Excellent play.

to the 16th hole. That is a right old mess. That is going to be a

The very small target he is aiming at. Nicely done, nicely controlled.

You can see how that reacted from the fairway. He got a little bit of

control on it. It makes it a little more challenging coming out of the

rough for Justin Rose. Not a bad line. You have to be really

A wonderful 66. Perhaps the unlikely his birdie of the lot.

What happened? I was trying to cut the shot, it landed in the water

and I don't know how it came back going to hang on the lip there. The

Super three. You cannot see him being far away at the end of the

week. Rory McIlroy is number one at the moment, but Donald is number

little bit from that putt. This to get within one of the lead.

Fantastic from Donald and from Justin Rose, Justin Rose within one

third shot to the 18th. Six down, overhanging the little bit, he got

has not had a birdie on the card so far.

Peter Lori has hit his third shot to here. He is playing this the

only way he can, and drive, then using not much more than a 7-iron.

At least in this opportunity to with, but a very, very impressive

round. He will mark and finish he will have that to move to 4-

under par, bigger names moving into good position. This is where the

crowds start to bottle let, in the last few holes, and a great sound

for the players to feed from and enjoyed. Let what Peter Lawrie

finish this out, Drysdale a few moments ago with his 66, and there

it is for Peter Lawrie, a very good round of golf, and he badly needed

a season which is yet to fire. No dropped shots for Peter Lawrie.

Very impressive. Francesco Molinari occasion in the past struggled with

his putting, but seems in control deserves a round of applause. I

good eagle chance. Back to the 12th with Nicholas Fasth -- Niclas Fasth.

It is going to be a birdie, he will right, and he did, well done. A

lovely way to finish. 67, a bit of a mixed bag, not bad at all, two

eagles. A lovely view smaller now it --

Francesco Molinari has of the screen. -- this green.

A straight at the flag, but drifting, to Street, may be in the

bulrushes. I think that has come all the way

back the other side towards him. I think it has come over those

bulrushes. That is the second man getting lucky.

There must be a strange creature -- strange creature in the lock

tonight. It has ricocheted back 50 yards.

yards. He will get a drop and that is fine,

goodly up the All-Star Peter, a sparkling a round of 66, and it may

have been better if, but, generally, what was the key to success today?

The key to success was not making bogeys and get on to a lot of green

paula mac. I just played lovely golf, I missed a couple of chances

coming in, left a few putts assured. Green polite are tough at this time

of died. You don't want to leave yourself with three feet to putt,

so I left myself in it, but I was ricocheted third shot up and over,

been away for a while, we have not heard much of them from the last

few seasons. He was in the Ryder Cup team a few years ago. That is a

make an unlikely four, as dry gilded. He wiped it off the

slippers. He got a bit of 68, it is, he will not be too

disenchanted with that. He knows he got away with things a little bit.

make -- doubled pulled -- double bogey at the 16th for Cabrera-Bello.

A good group, Branden Grace 3-under, and Cabrera-Bello 4-under.

That thing is, I know he expect a hero Kinross to gantries tee and

hit the ball for miles, but this is just a six-iron. -- the old Kinross.

-- Alvaro Quiros. A bit of a gasp and a grimmest, and then it comes

down the slope, but still pretty good.

A little chip and a putt back for a birdie, and some power hitting. 620

yards. To I can't believe it, that is

extraordinary. Luke Donald does not have a problem

with this shot. There are not many players better than him with a

swing. Round it comes. So impressive, almost every time. He

is above the hole, but that is the only folk you could call on that

Lucky boy. Some would say he controlled the spin, which is

nonsense, of course. It went through the green, lucky bounce

front, Justin Rose with a chance to join them. A lot of people would be

very pleased to see Justin Rose in front. Ernie Els, a man who lived

here for so long, still has a house not far from the 16th, he helped

with the redesign of the holes. Two shot paula mac off the pace. Alvaro

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whisker... A little harder and it would have whizzed by on the top. A

good effort, but it was short. Good round. Local boy done good, or

relatively local, look at all those here. Glorious shadows stretching.

Birdie for Luke Donald, 68 for him, and Donald and Justin Rose both in

be careful, you have to keep the ball within the confines of the

playing. Just a little hiccup on the inward nine.

There is the leaderboard, David Drysdale, Peter Lawrie in front at

the moment, but big names moving ever closer, Justin Rose up to 5-

under. Ernie Els on 4-under, under. Ernie Els on 4-under,

sitting as up very nicely for the second round.

Justin, congratulations, a good round today, between you in the

thick of things, and you will one- shot to join the leaders on the

last. I sized up the leaderboard on the 18th and fancy that putt, but

lifted a centimetre short. Really, it is just a great start, that is

all I wanted, something I can build on. Earlier in the round I got off

to a very nice start, felt comfortable in my rhythm, I was 5-

under at 10, bogey at 11 with a wedge in my hand, after that it was

a bit of a struggle, but a good 5- under.

Do a good start to your defence, and great playing from you and your

partner today? Yes, we got on a roll La early on,

made a few birdies la, and it is always nice when you get in a group

like that, you feed off each other. A good solid start for me, I was

happy with that round. To sum up this opening day, Ken

Brown. A day of generally low scoring, beautiful conditions, but

two unusual incidents - the first involving Graeme McDowell, showing

how harsh the rules of golf can be and how much integrity players like

him have. He is, he hit his ball into the

woods on the 18th, and as he was approaching it the ball appeared to

move, it is very hard to save. In fact, it had moved, and we went to

the television to seek if it had. If it moves, you have been put the

ball back. It cost him an eight, but very honest, as you would

expect him to be. At and indeed from David Drysdale.

That 18th caused a lot of problems last year, but no one expected the

balls to comment -- come hopping out of the water! Are yes, he was

5-under par, slightly mishit his second shot, it pitched into the

water, the ball -- water must be 7 inches deep but it hopped out.

He joined Peter Lawrie at the top of the leaderboard, saw one

unbelievable break for him. You look at Peter Lawrie, you have

David Drysdale up there, but the likes of Ernie Els, Donald and Lee

Westwood all in the reckoning for this one.

Absolutely. The Jubilee 60 players under plus, it is a very tight

leaderboard. Ernie Els was very pleased with the way he struck the

ball. Luke Donald, playing cagily, he got the ball nicely rounded off

course. He enjoyed it, and a super round from Justin Rose. A perfect

day of golf, a bit of breeze in the afternoon, huge crowds, sun shining,

it was a delight to watch. I o m sure Rory McIlroy is frustrated.

What is it about this could West Course that may prove problematic

to a player of his flair? He mentioned his swing, he said he

had it under control and was thinking about his tactic and

position play. But today he had a couple of bounds since, it did it

out of bounds on the 12, a disappointing day, 74 he has a lot

of work to do. But it could come together, 65 any time for him.

Well, we will be back tomorrow to find out how he and everyone else

find out how he and everyone else does, and we will be on the with

the highlights at the earlier time at -- of 11 or 5:00pm on BBC Two.

Then we will have all weekend the PGA championships starting on