20th BMW PGA Championship: Eagles for Education takes off – Thanks in part to a Hole-in-One by Hurly Long.

+++ Eagles for Education: BMW Group donates £1,000 per eagle to the Golf Foundation +++ Hurly Long (GER) aces the 5th hole +++ Low scores at the start of the BMW PGA Championship +++

London. The BMW PGA Championship has started the first of four tournament rounds with great momentum. Under ideal conditions, numerous pros have already brought good scores into the iconic clubhouse of the Wentworth Club. Among other highlights, fans were able to celebrate 17 eagles by 3 PM. The most spectacular was achieved by Germany's Hurly Long, who holed out from a distance of 198 yards with a 7-iron on the 5^th hole (Par 3), marking the first ace at this year's ‘Festival of Golf’.

For every eagle scored at the BMW PGA Championship, the BMW Group donates £1,000 to the Golf Foundation as part of its Eagles for Education initiative. The Golf Foundation is an organisation that wants to introduce children throughout the United Kingdom to golf and its values and change their lives through the power of this sport, especially in disadvantaged communities and regions. Eagles for Education was launched at the BMW International Open 2023 in Munich, supports educational programmes, and advocates for equal opportunities. Following the BMW Golf Cup World Final in spring 2024, the BMW PGA Championship is the third tournament in the BMW Group's international golfing commitment where Eagles for Education supports such programmes.

The first eagle of the day was scored by Richie Ramsay on the 4^th hole, the first par-5 on the legendary West Course. The Scot had teed off early in the morning in the third flight. While the first round is still in full swing, three past champions have already successfully completed their first 18 holes. Rory McIlroy (NIR, BMW PGA Champion 2014), Shane Lowry (IRL, 2022), and Matteo Manassero (ITA, 2013) are currently tied for third place with a score of 5 under par.