Rory McIlroy fired a five-under-par 67 during the second round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, moving to four shots off the lead as American Ryan Gerard set the pace with a flawless 65.
Rory McIlroy put himself firmly back into contention at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday afternoon, recovering from a rocky opening round to card a five-under-par 67 at Wentworth. The Northern Irishman found himself four shots adrift of the lead as American Ryan Gerard seized control of the tournament with a flawless 65.
The strong Friday showing follows a difficult end to McIlroy’s first round, during which he dropped three bogeys across his final six holes. This week, the world number two is chasing Patrick Reed in an effort to secure a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title. That pursuit received a major boost when Reed withdrew from the tournament due to injury during his second round while sitting at nine over par, opening the door for McIlroy over the weekend.
McIlroy’s Friday Surge and Reed’s Early Exit
McIlroy’s second round started brightly with three birdies through his opening five holes on Friday afternoon. Though he dropped a shot on the par-four eighth to turn in 33, he immediately clawed it back by rolling in a 16-foot birdie on the 11th.
Another birdie on the par-three 14th was offset by a bogey on the 16th after his second shot found the rough. He nearly capitalized on an eagle chance at the 17th that rolled just wide, before tapping in and adding one final birdie on the last hole to sign for his 67.
Unfortunately he’s pulled out this week, which gives me an opportunity to try to claw back some ground that I lost last week in Ireland. This weekend is a big weekend for me to pick up a few points and make the race even tighter going into these last few weeks.
Rory McIlroy
Reed is attempting to become just the second American after Collin Morikawa to claim the Race to Dubai title.
Ryan Gerard Sets the Pace as Leaderboard Crowds Up
While McIlroy worked his way back into the mix, American Ryan Gerard established a two-shot lead heading into the weekend. Gerard began his day at five under and sealed his position with a stellar 20-foot eagle on the 17th hole before closing with a birdie for a pristine 65.
Adam Scott finished his day at 10 under following a 67, remarking that he felt mentally fresh despite having a couple of easy weeks coming into the event. Italy’s Filippo Celli, making his Wentworth debut after returning to the tour following the loss of his card in 2024, carded seven birdies and a single bogey in a round of 66.
Former US Open champion JJ Spaun carded a 66—highlighted by an eagle on the 18th hole after starting on the 10th—to sit at eight under alongside McIlroy, Fox, Nacho Elvira, and England’s Ross Fisher. Spaun noted that his appearance at Wentworth could lead to a more permanent shift in his scheduling.
This was kind of like a stepping stone, just to see how it was and if I like it. I definitely feel like I am going to plan a little bit more of a global schedule or a European schedule moving forward in the fall time.
JJ Spaun, former US Open champion
Notable Movers and Major Struggles at Wentworth
Further down the leaderboard, Shane Lowry secured his place for the weekend thanks to a birdie-birdie finish that yielded a three-under 69 and moved him to four under overall. Matt Wallace sits alone at seven under, while Jordan Smith fired a 67 that featured two eagles and a double bogey, placing him in a group at six under alongside defending champion Alex Noren.
Not everyone fared well on the Surrey course. Tom McKibbin carded a level-par 72 to miss the cut at one over, and Pádraig Harrington fell back to seven over after a 77. Tommy Fleetwood also exited early at three over, while two-time Major winner Jon Rahm struggled to an 11-over total after laboring to a 77, marking the worst 36-hole total of his career.
With Gerard leading by two strokes and McIlroy sitting four back, the action resumes over the weekend at Wentworth.