Remodelled Wentworth now resembles a major championship test, according to Ernie Els.
The world number five, who has a house on the Surrey estate, has masterminded a series of changes to the historic West Course in recent years and is delighted with the result.
”Right now the weather is great and I think if it can stay this way we are going to have a great PGA Championship this week,” Els told reporters on the eve of the European Tour’s flagship event.
”I think the updated Wentworth is closer to a major championship challenge than it has ever been.”
Els and course manager Chris Kennedy began the refinements to the 7 320-yard, par-72 layout in 2006 and the process continued this year with the addition of several new bunkers.
”We try and penalise shots that are wayward,” said Els. ”We give the players bunkers, targets to play the ball off.
”There are also a lot of tee shots you have to fade on this course and quite a few you have to draw. I think it balances out quite nice.”
Els, who has won six World Match Play titles at Wentworth but is still searching for his first PGA victory here, said the course alterations would help the players with ambitions to do well in next month’s US Open at Oakmont.
”The guys that play here will be much better equipped for the US Open,” said the 37-year-old South African.
”They will have a much better idea of what to do when they get to Oakmont.”
The Pennsylvania course also has a special place in Els’s heart for it was there 13 years ago that he won the first of his three majors.
”Oakmont was a huge breakthrough for me,” said Els. ”It was almost like a shock the way it happened, I was only 24.
”But believe me you’d rather win something like that at an early age. I see now how tough it is to win a major.” – Reuters