Scholars win Pro-Am at The BMW PGA Championship

20 May 2010

Congratulations to Ed Peters and Jordan Mann, two of The Duke of York Sports Foundation scholars who, together with Ben Simpson, partnered José Maria Olazábal to win the Pro-Am which proceeded the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday.

Olazábal, the 1994 Champion and two-time Major winner, had hoped to be able to compete in this year’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after being sidelined since last October battling rheumatism. However he withdrew earlier in the week having accepted that he was not ready for a return to competitive action, but still took part in the Pro-Am and with his BMW/Duke of York Sports Foundation team, compiled a team score of 17 under par around the remodelled West Course.

That total was matched in the afternoon by Louis Oosthiuzen and his team but the Spaniard’s team took the honours by the narrowest of margins on count back. The teams had the same scores on the back nine, back six, back three, last, and they could only be separated by a hole by hole play-off from the first.

Ernie Els, whose design will come under scrutiny in competition for the first time for Thursday’s opening round, partnered John Magnier, Johann Rupert and JP McManus into third place behind Robert Karlsson in the afternoon session.

An international array of stars from the worlds of sport and entertainment stood shoulder to shoulder with the cream of European Tour golfing talent for the traditional curtain raiser to The European Tour’s flagship event.

Jordan Mann is pictured below with HRH The Duke of York and fellow scholar Heidi Beck.