Aaron Rai Takes Early Lead as Rory McIlroy Falters at Wentworth
Aaron Rai posted a six-under 66 to lead the BMW PGA Championship after Rory McIlroy’s promising start unraveled with three late bogeys.
At the BMW PGA Championship on the Wentworth course, Rory McIlroy surged to five under after ten holes before a poor finish cost him three bogeys, leaving him at three under with a 69. Aaron Rai, playing with Masters winner Ryan Fox, delivered a more consistent performance, recording five birdies in the first ten holes and finishing at six under with a 66, three strokes ahead of McIlroy. Rai avoided a similar fate on the eighth by chipping out of a pond to save par, while McIlroy’s errant drive sent his ball into the water.
US PGA champion Patrick Reed briefly shared the lead but also fell victim to the challenging eighth, concluding at four under. The leaderboard also featured Ryan Fox and Viktor Hovland, both finishing at four under, as McIlroy seeks to close the gap on Patrick Reed for a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title.
