McIlroy’s Disappointing Finish at BMW PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy struggled to make the most of a solid performance on the back nine, as a mistake on the final hole pushed him further from the halfway lead at the BMW PGA Championship.
On the par-five last hole at Wentworth, McIlroy posted a double-bogey, adding to a previous bogey on the same hole from the opening day. He ended with a level-par 72, placing him nine strokes behind halfway leader Hideki Matsuyama.
Starting off poorly with three consecutive bogeys on his front nine, the world No 2 managed to recover with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn, only to falter again with a costly finish, ending the round at three under par.
Playing alongside European teammates Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm for the first two rounds, McIlroy is part of a strong Ryder Cup lineup. Lowry also stands at three under after a second-round 74, while Rahm is one shot closer after an impressive three-under 68. Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland, and Ludvig Åberg are positioned just one stroke behind Matsuyama, tied at eleven under.
The Ups and Downs of McIlroy’s Round
McIlroy’s round began poorly when he missed a ten-foot putt to save par on the third hole, dropping a shot on the next par-five. He expressed frustration after another bogey at the fifth, hitting his putter in irritation.
However, the Masters champion made a comeback with a long birdie on the eighth. Following that, he continued his streak with a close-range birdie at the 10th and followed it up with another from fifteen feet at the 11th.
Despite missing out on the par-five 12th, McIlroy knocked down two more birdies to close the gap to three strokes behind the lead. A challenging situation on the 17th caused him to recover well and save par, but his final hole was a letdown. After heading into the trees off the tee at the 18th, he reloaded and ended with a bogey after failing to convert a five-foot putt.
In total, McIlroy has struggled on the par fives this week, playing them two-over, a stark contrast to his previous performances at Wentworth, where he was fifty under across five events. Post-round, he chose not to speak to the media for the second day in a row, indicating his disappointment.
Lowry, another previous winner, combined four birdies with six bogeys in his second round, while Rahm managed a strong finish with two consecutive birdies. Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland maintained his impressive form with a bogey-free 66, setting the clubhouse target at eleven under.
As eight members of Team Europe progressed to the weekend, only Rasmus Hojgaard faced an early exit. With the competition heating up, viewers can follow the action live on Sky Sports Golf this weekend.
