BMW PGA Championship First-Round Leader Tips: Dave Tindall's three to back up to 100/1

BMW PGA Championship weather forecast for Thursday

There's certainly some wind to contend with on day one. It's set to be 12-15mph all day with gusts up to 29mph in the morning (22 in the afternoon).

It's a cloudy start and there could be a drop of rain either side of midday while temperatures start in the mid-50s and build towards a high of 68 around 4pm.

A word on tee-times/the draw. They go off simultaneously from the 1st and 9th. Not the 10th as that's a par 3.

The first groups hit off at 07:10 while the final three-ball is set for 14:00.

First Round Leader Bet 1: Ludvig Aberg @ 28/129.00

Of the last 15 players to have had a piece of the first-round lead in this event, five are home Englishmen and five are Scandinavians.

Perhaps it's playing in the cooler climes of September that helps these Northern Europeans find comfort early?

Anyway, it's a starting point and leads me to Ludvig Aberg to get off to a flyer and set the tone for a big week.

The Swede made quick starts in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, enjoying FRL positions of 17-8-5, the latter helping him finish fourth at the Tour Championship.

In this event, Aberg was the 18-hole leader last year (64) while he occupied top spot after rounds two and three on his only other appearance at Wentworth in 2023 thanks to back-to-back 66s.

A first-round leader at the RBC Heritage a dozen starts ago, Aberg is an afternoon starter at 13:00 from the 1st.

First Round Leader Bet 2: Laurie Canter @ 60/161.00

Next up, an Englishman. And one who has some strong Wentworth history after finishing runner-up here on debut in 2021.

Laurie Canter was fourth after day one that week and pushed Billy Horschel close on the final day.

He produced strong middle rounds last year (67-68) on his third start in the event to sit 20th with a round to go.

More recently, Canter enjoyed some strong form on LIV when finishing 7th in the UK event, 11th in New York and 5th in Indianapolis where he burst out of the blocks with a brilliant 62 to take the lead on day one.

Although a missed cut in Ireland last week was disappointing, he shot a Friday 68 so left on a positive note.

The man from Bath (a two-hour drive from Wentworth) is my morning starter (07:10) from the 9th.

First Round Leader Bet 3: Niklas Norgaard @ 100/1101.00

For a Scandinavian at a three-figure price, try Niklas Norgaard.

Norgaard loves playing in England as shown by a win, a second and two sevenths in his last seven starts there.

The win came in the 2024 British Masters at The Belfry and he was also runner-up there last month.

One of the sevenths was at Wentworth in 2024 when he was second after both 18 and 36 holes after opening 66-67.

Norgaard was also second after 36 holes of last week's Irish Open (68-64) so with his Belfry runners-up finish just two starts before that, he's clearly in good form.

He's been in the top 10 for SG: Putting in three of his last four outings so the ingredients are there for a low one on Thursday.

Norgaard tees off from the 9th at 13:10.

Now read more Golf betting tips and preview here