Anders Hansen will this week look to join Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Peter Alliss as the only players to win the PGA Championship three times or more.

The 37-year-old Hansen knows he faces a difficult task to repeat his 2007 and 2002 victories in the European Tour's flagship event at Wentworth.

"I think winning it twice is a fair achievement to start with," the holder said. "You look at the names I am alongside and get a sense of the importance of the PGA Championship.

"To win it for a third time would be very special," added Hansen who forms a three-ball with Lee Westwood and Luke Donald in the opening two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

A resurgent Irish contingent will be well represented with this season's title winners Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Graeme McDowell and Damien McGrane among those in action although Padraig Harrington, with one eye on next month's US Open, has opted to skip the event.

Faldo, meanwhile,  will not be playing in The Open this year for the first time since he failed to qualify as an amateur back in 1975.

Europe's Ryder Cup captain announced his decision not to compete at Birkdale the three-time champion today: "I will play The Open again, but this year I need to concentrate."

It was at Birkdale that he made his debut 32 years ago, finishing 28th, but his victories all came in Scotland — at Muirfield in 1987 and 1992 and St Andrews in 1990.

Now 50, Faldo has not played a tournament all year, his last appearance being in Hong Kong last November.

He was paired with Tiger Woods in the first two rounds at Hoylake only two years ago, but missed the cut just as he did at Carnoustie last summer.