Ryan Gerard vaulted past Adam Scott and Filippo Celli to claim a two‑shot advantage at the midway point of the BMW PGA Championship, while Rory McIlroy delivered a solid performance on day two, finishing four strokes behind the leader. Scott and Celli had been sharing the clubhouse lead after the first half of the second round, both sitting at ten under par. In the afternoon session, Gerard produced a flawless, bogey‑free round of 65, which put him at twelve under for the day and vaulted him into the top spot. Aaron Rai, who had been co‑leader heading into Friday's round, ended up tied with Manuel Elvira for fourth place at nine under.
His playing partners, McIlroy and Ryan Fox, were just one shot further back, sharing sixth place with five other competitors. A number of high‑profile players failed to make the cut on Friday at Wentworth. European Ryder Cup stalwarts Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood both slipped to three over par after the second round. Spanish veteran Sergio Garcia endured a particularly rough weekend, posting an 11‑over‑par total after 36 holes – the worst two‑day score of his career and leaving him at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick both flirted with missing the cut but rescued their tournaments with dramatic finishes on the 18th hole. Hatton chipped from a greenside bunker and holed an eagle, while Fitzpatrick executed a precise wedge shot over a water hazard to secure a birdie.
Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed was forced to withdraw after an injury on the tenth tee shot. The American also struggled on the front nine, falling eight over par through the first nine holes. Windy conditions at Wentworth made it difficult for Gerard to keep his driver on the fairway, but his iron play was exceptional.
He nailed a long iron to the green on the fourth hole, setting up a birdie, and followed with another birdie on the eighth. Consecutive birdies on holes 12 and 13 brought him within one shot of Scott and Celli, and an eagle on the par‑five 17th, again with a long iron from the rough, catapulted him ahead. Gerard said he focused on patience throughout the round, a strategy that paid off as he finished with a birdie on the 18th.
"I don’t know if I was feeling an eagle or a birdie finish, but I stayed patient all day," he explained. "When you get to the last couple of holes at Wentworth they’re gettable, but trouble is always lurking, so you have to be careful. Good things happen when you stick to the plan and execute shots." Adam Scott returned to Wentworth on Friday after an impressive opening round of five under.
He struggled early, posting one over through his first four holes, but a quick adjustment on his fifth‑hole putt helped him find his rhythm. The Australian then recorded four straight birdies from holes 14 through 17.
"Over the first couple of holes my rhythm was a little off," Scott admitted. "I made an adjustment on the fifth green and it went in, so I ran with that for the rest of the day. Sometimes you just have to find that one little thing, and I’m glad I made that adjustment early.
It helps the rest of the game; when you feel like the putter is good, you free up the rest of the game." Rory McIlroy, who had said he "stumbled" at the end of his first round, delivered a markedly improved performance on day two. The reigning Masters champion started strongly, going four under through the first five holes, and thrilled the crowd on the par‑three second when he chipped in from off the green for a birdie.
A missed fairway on the eighth cost him, but he rebounded with birdies on holes 11 and 14. An over‑hit approach on the 16th forced him to scramble, yet he finished the round with consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18th. "I’m playing a bit better today than I did yesterday and hit a lot more fairways," McIlroy said.
"Felt like I drove the ball better and gave myself a few more chances. I didn’t feel like I was scrambling my way around most of the day today. Solid round." The tournament continues to build intrigue as players vie for the coveted BMW PGA Championship title.
Fans can follow early third‑round group coverage live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with main coverage kicking off at noon.
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