HIDEKI MATSUYAMA will take a one-shot lead into the third day at the BMW PGA Championship after carding a superb second-round 64 at Wentworth, on a day when both Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry fell back.
The Japanese’s eight-under score for the day included two eagles, five birdies and one bogey to leave him 12-under for the tournament, one stroke clear of Justin Rose, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and Norwegian Viktor Hovlund.
Rose and Hovlund — the latter eagled the 18th for the second day running — followed their opening-round scores of 67 with respective 66s, while Aberg carded a 69 after bogeying the 17th.
It was a disappointing day for Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry with their respective rounds of 72 and 74. The pair, who played together with Jon Rahm, are both on three-under and nine shots back.
McIlroy’s day ended on a low note with a double-bogey seven on the par-five 18th after he drove into the trees and picked up a penalty shot.
He had endured a difficult start with three successive bogeys between the 3rd and 5th, but rallied with a birdie on the par-four 8th, and really hit his stride early in the back nine, with four birdies between the 10th and 14th.
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His tee shot landed to four feet on the short 10th, before he sank putts of 17 feet on 11, 18 feet on 13, and nine feet on 14th. But that progress was checked by his final hole outcome.
Leader Viktor Hovland. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Shane Lowry during day two. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Lowry is also one of 15 players in a tie for 44th after a day when he had six bogeys on his card, three in his final five holes. He was two-over for his front nine, tapped in from six feet on the par-three 10th to claw back some ground, before dropping shots on the 14th and 15th.
The 2022 winner of this tournament impressively clawed back ground with a birdie on the 16th when he landed his fairway shot within a foot of the pin, and then tapped in from three feet on the long par-five 17th.
A bogey on the last saw him also finish the day in a frustrating fashion.
Tom McKibbin finished two under for the day and five under for the tournament, while Padraig Harrington was two over, and is set to miss the cut.
Matsuyama said afterwards: “It’s my first time playing Wentworth. I wasn’t expecting that I would play this good, so I’m very happy with my round today.
“It wasn’t anything specific; it was more about flow. I had a really good flow since yesterday, so everything went well.
“Obviously, I would like to achieve something really big here. But the conditions are going to be changing, and hopefully I can adjust to that. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Rose said he was delighted to be in contention at a tournament he had always wanted to win.
He added, “It would mean a lot (to win). I’ve always said it’s a bucket list event for me. I can’t deny it or hide from it.
“I’ve got a great weekend ahead of me. More choppy weather is coming, so it’s going to be a little bit, see what happens. But I’m feeling comfortable. You’ve got to stay aggressive. Hammer down.”
Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal made it back-to-back rounds of 67 to finish the second day in outright fifth on 10 under, one shot ahead of Scottish pair Ewen Ferguson (68) and Richie Ramsay (69), England’s Aaron Rai (67) and Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren (68), who are tied in sixth.
Tommy Fleetwood avoided the cut after a birdie-par-birdie finish in his second round 69 that left him two under at the halfway stage.
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McIlroy and Lowry both 9 shots back as Matsuyama leads at Wentworth
Updated at 20.16
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA will take a one-shot lead into the third day at the BMW PGA Championship after carding a superb second-round 64 at Wentworth, on a day when both Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry fell back.
The Japanese’s eight-under score for the day included two eagles, five birdies and one bogey to leave him 12-under for the tournament, one stroke clear of Justin Rose, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and Norwegian Viktor Hovlund.
Rose and Hovlund — the latter eagled the 18th for the second day running — followed their opening-round scores of 67 with respective 66s, while Aberg carded a 69 after bogeying the 17th.
It was a disappointing day for Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry with their respective rounds of 72 and 74. The pair, who played together with Jon Rahm, are both on three-under and nine shots back.
McIlroy’s day ended on a low note with a double-bogey seven on the par-five 18th after he drove into the trees and picked up a penalty shot.
He had endured a difficult start with three successive bogeys between the 3rd and 5th, but rallied with a birdie on the par-four 8th, and really hit his stride early in the back nine, with four birdies between the 10th and 14th.
His tee shot landed to four feet on the short 10th, before he sank putts of 17 feet on 11, 18 feet on 13, and nine feet on 14th. But that progress was checked by his final hole outcome.
Lowry is also one of 15 players in a tie for 44th after a day when he had six bogeys on his card, three in his final five holes. He was two-over for his front nine, tapped in from six feet on the par-three 10th to claw back some ground, before dropping shots on the 14th and 15th.
The 2022 winner of this tournament impressively clawed back ground with a birdie on the 16th when he landed his fairway shot within a foot of the pin, and then tapped in from three feet on the long par-five 17th.
A bogey on the last saw him also finish the day in a frustrating fashion.
Tom McKibbin finished two under for the day and five under for the tournament, while Padraig Harrington was two over, and is set to miss the cut.
Matsuyama said afterwards: “It’s my first time playing Wentworth. I wasn’t expecting that I would play this good, so I’m very happy with my round today.
“It wasn’t anything specific; it was more about flow. I had a really good flow since yesterday, so everything went well.
“Obviously, I would like to achieve something really big here. But the conditions are going to be changing, and hopefully I can adjust to that. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Rose said he was delighted to be in contention at a tournament he had always wanted to win.
He added, “It would mean a lot (to win). I’ve always said it’s a bucket list event for me. I can’t deny it or hide from it.
“I’ve got a great weekend ahead of me. More choppy weather is coming, so it’s going to be a little bit, see what happens. But I’m feeling comfortable. You’ve got to stay aggressive. Hammer down.”
Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal made it back-to-back rounds of 67 to finish the second day in outright fifth on 10 under, one shot ahead of Scottish pair Ewen Ferguson (68) and Richie Ramsay (69), England’s Aaron Rai (67) and Ryder Cup vice-captain Alex Noren (68), who are tied in sixth.
Tommy Fleetwood avoided the cut after a birdie-par-birdie finish in his second round 69 that left him two under at the halfway stage.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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as it stands Golf PGa Championship Rory McIlroy Shane Lowry Wentworth