BMW PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy makes final-hole blunder to fall additional behind midway lead at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy didn’t capitalise on a back-nine birdie cost as one other final-hole blunder slipped him additional off the midway lead on the BMW PGA Championship.

McIlroy carded a double-bogey on the par-five final at Wentworth, following a bogey on the identical gap on the opening day, to submit a level-par 72 and drop eight strokes behind clubhouse chief Viktor Hovland.

The world No 2 recovered from posting three consecutive bogeys on his entrance 9 to card 5 birdies in a seven-hole stretch across the flip, just for his costly end to drop him again to a few below.

McIlroy was a part of a marquee Ryder Cup threeball alongside European teammates Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm for the primary two rounds, with 11 of Luke Donald’s facet within the subject forward of heading to Bethpage Black later this month.

Lowry can also be on three below after a second-round 74 and Rahm is a shot nearer after his three-under 68, whereas Hovland was the decide of the European gamers after a surprising final-hole eagle closed a bogey-free 66 and lifted him to 11 below.

How McIlroy misplaced floor and Hovland hit the entrance

McIlroy missed from 10 toes to save lots of par on the third and dropped a shot on the par-five subsequent, having missed the inexperienced in two and three-putted from the perimeter, then hit the putter on his foot in frustration after dropping one other shot on the par-three fifth.

The Masters champion began his fightback after draining a 30-foot birdie on the eighth, with McIlroy persevering with to push ahead by following a close-range birdie on the tenth by including one other from 15 toes on the subsequent.

McIlroy didn’t reap the benefits of the par-five twelfth however birdied his subsequent two holes to briefly get inside three of the lead, earlier than recovering from ending close to a bench off the seventeenth tee to put up on the par 5 and scramble a par.

He despatched his tee shot on the 18th into the timber and needed to reload, with McIlroy ending in need of the inexperienced along with his fourth shot after which lacking his five-foot out to restrict the injury to a bogey.

McIlroy’s end means he has performed the par fives in two-over to date this week, having accomplished them in a mixed 50 below in his earlier 5 begins at Wentworth, with the Northern Irishman declining to talk to the media post-round for the second successive day.

Lowry – one other former winner of the BMW PGA Championship – combined 4 birdies with six bogeys in his second spherical, whereas Rahm produced a birdie-birdie end regardless of seeing his tee shot on the par-five final end in a buggy.

All three have been unable to match the exploits of Hovland, who adopted three consecutive birdies from the fourth by including one other on the sixteenth earlier than eagling the 18th for the second consecutive day.

“I can’t remember when I chipped it and putted it as nicely as I did the last two days,” Hovland mentioned. “That goes a long way. Iron play was not so good yesterday and started ramping up towards the end of the round. Today was better.

“I still have to drive it a little bit better so I can get myself more iron shots from the fairway but really happy with the way I’m scoring. I’m super happy to be where I’m at and scoring-wise, it’s incredible to be honest with you.”

Hovland was a shot forward of Pablo Larrazabal, who birdied three of his final 5 holes in a five-under 67, with Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren inside two of the Norwegian after posting a second-round 68.

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