Rory McIlroy arrived at Wentworth with the BMW PGA Championship carrying added importance in his season. The Northern Irishman is chasing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, with Patrick Reed currently leading the standings.
McIlroy entered the week after a difficult title defense at the Amgen Irish Open. He finished tied for 41st at Doonbeg, but still found reasons to feel positive about his game. He also produced a 60 in Wednesday’s pro-am at Wentworth.
With the BMW PGA Championship now underway, McIlroy had the chance to build on that showing and close the gap on Reed in the Race to Dubai.
Rory McIlroy Finds Putting Improvement at Wentworth
McIlroy opened the BMW PGA Championship with a 3-under 69 and pointed to improved putting as one of the encouraging signs from his round.
The four-time Race to Dubai champion started strongly. He reached 5-under through his first 10 holes and briefly moved into the outright lead. However, some loose shots late in the round changed the momentum.
“I said last week in Ireland, I see encouraging signs in my game
“Started very strong, five-under through 10, and started hitting a few loose shots on the way in,” McIlroy said.
He made three bogeys over his final six holes. A poor drive at the eighth also left him in deep rough, and he eventually found the pond guarding the green.
Despite the difficult finish, McIlroy remained positive about his overall performance.
“I played well. I certainly saw some improvements on the greens compared to last week,” he said. “So yeah, it’s an encouraging start.”
McIlroy added that he felt he could have finished a couple of shots better. Still, he believed his 69 gave him something to build on during the rest of the tournament.
He also highlighted the value of his strong pro-am round. McIlroy had made nine birdies and an eagle across 10 holes on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately it was on a Wednesday and not a Thursday,” he joked.
McIlroy said his next step is to keep working with the swing feel he has developed. He wants those movements to become more natural so he can focus on visualizing shots and playing more instinctively.
The BMW PGA Championship also carries significant Race to Dubai points. McIlroy acknowledged that Reed increased his advantage by finishing second at last week’s Irish Open.
“I didn’t have the greatest week last week, and Patrick played well, so I dropped a little bit further behind him,” McIlroy said.
Rory McIlroy Addresses Abu Dhabi and Dubai Plans
McIlroy also addressed the uncertainty surrounding the DP World Tour’s season-ending events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship remain scheduled for November. However, the DP World Tour has yet to make a definitive decision on whether the tournaments will proceed as planned amid the current security situation in the Middle East.
McIlroy said he has no personal concerns about traveling if local authorities determine that the events are safe.
“Not for me,” McIlroy said when asked about concerns over traveling to the Middle East. “If the local governments feel like it’s safe to put on these events, they are not going to put their citizens or people visiting in harm’s way, I imagine.”
He also spoke positively about his connection to the region.
“I love the Middle East. I have a lot of friends there, and I’m looking forward to going back for sure.”
His position differs from that of Matt Fitzpatrick. The Englishman said he would not feel comfortable traveling under the current circumstances, while Ryan Fox also acknowledged that some players have concerns.
Fitzpatrick said conditions could change and that he would follow developments before making a final decision.
For McIlroy, the immediate focus remains Wentworth. A strong week would give him another opportunity to gain Race to Dubai points as he continues his pursuit of Reed at the top of the standings.
Rory McIlroy Reveals Encouraging Sign From BMW PGA Opener