The 2007 BMW PGA Championship is poised for an epic final round at Wentworth Club where a battle between The European Tour’s vastly experienced old guard and its swashbuckling new generation will unfold over the West Course.
The final group of the last day of the Championship offers the perfect microcosm of that battle, where the empirical Paul Broadhurst will go head to head with one of the Tour’s most fearless and exciting talents, Ross Fisher.
Broadhurst and Fisher produced identical finishes of three consecutive birdies in their last three holes of the third round to grab a share of the lead on ten under par 206 and set up their intriguing final round match up.
Joining Broadhurst’s battalion of seasoned campaigners, all of whom are well in to their 30s and 40s, are Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez on six under par as well as Markus Brier and 2002 PGA Champion Anders Hansen of Denmark on five under.
Fisher, meanwhile, will lead the indomitable youngsters, all of who are under the age of 30, Marcus Fraser from Australia and South Africa’s Richard Sterne, who are one off the lead on nine under, as well the English duo of Justin Rose and Nick Dougherty, who go into the final round on seven and five under par respectively.
For Fisher, the prospect of winning the BMW PGA Championship at his home club is the sort of scenario he has dreamed of since joining Wentworth as a 13 year old boy, while Broadhurst, a man who played in The Ryder Cup and collected six European Tour titles in his career, would be humbled by such an achievement.
“To be in the final group going into the last round of the BMW PGA Championship is something that I have dreamt of for a long time,” said Fisher
“I'm sure everyone knows I've been a Member here since 1994, and in that time I've watched a lot of the great tournaments unfold. So to have this chance, especially being in the final group tomorrow, feels amazing.
“I had a great finish today to get into the last match and then getting the ovation on the 18th green was really, really special and something I'll remember it for a long time.”
Broadhurst said: “I’ve won six times on Tour but nothing anywhere as prestigious as this event. It would be a massive tournament to win but I have to go out and play as well as I did today in the last round.
“I didn’t have too many expectations at the start of this week – I just wanted to make the cut and see what happens. But when you open with a 66 you have to set your sights a little bit higher than that. And I am right it now. I’d certainly take another 68 tomorrow.”
Fraser and Sterne, who produced the best round of the third day with a bogey free 66, will tee off nine minutes before Broadhurst and Fisher, and both men are hoping they can cause an upset by overhauling the hugely popular leaders.
“It’s exciting to be in this position and playing good golf in a tournament like this, our best tournament of the year,” said Fraser. “I’m delighted where I am and really looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge.”
Sterne said: “I’ve been up there a few times and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow because this is a big, big week for all of the players. I'm quite comfortable with my position and whatever happens, happens. You’ve got to be ready to accept whatever occurs on a Sunday and take responsibility for it.”
With Brier, Dougherty, Hansen, Jiménez and Rose preparing to make their own contributions to the final round battle, the West Course at Wentworth Club is poised for a momentous final round.
