The BMW PGA Championship was played out on a rain-lashed West Course at Wentworth in Surrey. Traditionally, the PGA attracts one of the strongest fields on the European Tour and this time was no exception with Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Michael Campbell and others all making the trip across the pond. It was not, however, one of the better known superstars who walked off with the trophy and 725,000 Euro first prize, but Anders Hansen from Denmark who holed a 25 foot birdie putt on the first sudden-death play-off hole against England’s Justin Rose. This was only Hansen’s second victory on Tour – bizarrely the only other win was the same tournament – then called the Volvo PGA – five years earlier in 2002.

The Players Championship (TPC) has for a long time been considered golf’s ‘5th’ Major because of the traditionally very strong field – typically the top 50 players in the world congregate to battle it out for the huge prize money. The victor this time was Phil Mickelson who, helped by Tiger’s old coach, Butch Harmon, bagged the $1.62m first prize and the 31st PGA Tour victory of his career after finishing with a 3-under 69 and a two-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia. Stewart Cink and Jose Maria Olazabal a further stroke back tied 3rd. The Stadium course is famous for its tiny island green on the par 3 17th – which this time proved a watery grave for a record 94 golf balls (it’s not just us handicappers who end up in the drink). This was Mickelson’s first victory at the TPC after 14 attempts.