Rai and Lagergren set the pace
Aaron Rai and Joakim Lagergren share the lead at the BMW PGA Championship after both posted six-under-par 66s in the first round at Wentworth. Rai, who began his round on the ninth hole, made back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th and repeated the feat on the 13th and 14th. The Englishman, winner of the PGA Championship in the United States in May, said he settled quickly and kept his momentum even when he missed the fairway.[S1]
Lagergren matched Rai at the top of the leaderboard. In windy conditions, Adam Scott, Ryan Gerard, Ludvig Åberg and Nacho Elvira all signed for 67s to share third place. Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, made four birdies on his front nine but a wayward drive on the 17th cost him his only bogey before he birdied the last. He described the round as one of his best tee to green this year and said he expects to have to dig deep during the week.[S1]
McIlroy's late stumble
Rory McIlroy reached five under during his first ten holes, with birdies on the 10th, 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th, but his driving deserted him: he missed 10 of 14 fairways. The Northern Irishman mixed a bogey and a birdie on the third and fourth, then went two over par over his final three holes, finding the water on the eighth, to finish tied-19th at three under. He said he wished he were a couple of shots better but took encouragement from his putting compared with the previous week.[S1]
Reed in the chasing pack as Rahm struggles
Race to Dubai rankings leader Patrick Reed was among 12 players tied for seventh after a 68, alongside Viktor Hovland, Ryan Fox and Robert MacIntyre. Jon Rahm endured a difficult day, making three bogeys and a double-bogey on his front nine on the way to a six-over 78, leaving himself work to do to make the cut on Friday. Justin Rose, who struggled with his putting, fought back from three down through 14 holes with birdies on the 17th and 18th to finish at one over.[S1]
