The recent 2013 BMW PGA Championship was the 59th edition of the the European Tour’s flagship event.

Held over the West Course at Wentworth Club in Surrey, the event recorded its largest ever attendance across the week. The 20-year-old Matteo Mannasero of Italy won the tournament on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff with Simon Khan and Marc Warren.

It was his fourth and undoubtedly biggest title of his rising career, and with his victory he became the youngest ever BMW PGA champion. Local man Khan won this event three years ago by coming from seven strokes behind with a final-round 66. Here he almost did it again with a 67, and played beautifully for three holes of the play-off, before finding the water at the fourth attempt.

All sounds like a fantastic success doesn’t it, which it undoubtedly was. So why is this event the only regular European Tour event on English soil this season?

That fact is a curious one, considering Donald and Lee Westwood, both of England, occupy two of the top three positions in the world rankings - and between them, at one point or other, they have managed 67 weeks as world No. 1.

This is a great opportunity when you look at the world rankings at the moment, and this is the time to cultivate more interest. British golf has arguably never been in a better place, we've got great golfing ambassadors and need another event in England that can inspire the younger generation.

We're about to lose TV viewers who don't subscribe to Sky coverage, and with the news of the BBC dropping out from golf, we need more events in England and the UK to keep British golf flourishing.

Back in 2001, seven tournaments were held in England and the postponed Ryder Cup was also due to be staged that year.

Lee Westwood will play more than the 13 events required for European Tour membership this year, but only three of those - the Open Championship, French Open and this week - will actually be in Europe.

This is the first year where there’s been more events outside of Europe than inside, which is a reflection of the global economic climate really. It is quite gloomy.

The recession has been the main factor in the demise of events such as the British Masters, the English Open, the B&H International and the European Open. With no sponsors willing to provide the millions involved, the Tour has been forced to find backers across the continents.

I’m hoping this situation will change in the coming years from more of a selfish point of view, to watch them live on our shores, but the European Tour will have to work hard with corporate sponsors to find a solution.

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