Rory McIlroy Battles To Make BMW PGA Championship Cut

The four-time Major winner shot 69 to make the cut on the number at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy Battles To Make BMW PGA Championship Cut
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The four-time Major winner shot 69 to make the cut on the number at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy Battles To Make BMW PGA Championship Cut

Rory McIlroy hasn't had his best stuff over the opening two days at Wentworth, but a 69 in the second round ensures that he will be here for the weekend.

The four-time Major winner crumbled on the back nine on Thursday with a 42 but he fought hard on Friday to come home in 35.

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McIlroy had a lot of work to do after his opening 76 but got off to the perfect start with a birdie at the 1st before another at the 4th to quickly get to two over.

The 2014 BMW PGA Championship winner, at that point, was two off of the cut mark of level par but the wind came in for the afternoon starters and the cut line went back to +1.

Rory dropped a shot at the par-3 5th with a three putt from long range to fall to three over and it was looking like he'd go to four over on the 10th after short-siding himself left on the par-3.

However, a bladed chip ran by some 10 feet, a good result, and he holed the putt back up the hill for a huge par.

Another par followed at 11 before another par at the 12th, a par-5 which he had no more than a 7 iron in from the middle of the fairway.

A good save at 13 kept him at three over but time was running out - step up Rory McIlroy.

A birdie followed at the uphill par-3 14th and he then chipped in from the back edge of 16 for another much-needed birdie.

Watch: McIlroy's chip-in on 16 -

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That got him on the cut line at +1 with two par-5s ahead.

A nerveless drive down the difficult 17th put him in prime position to attack the green but his fairway wood shot was pushed right and he had to settle for par after leaving his birdie effort in the jaws.

Still, he had to overcome the 18th where he made a 20 footer to save bogey on Thursday after finding the trees right off the tee.

He split the fairway with his driver but then pushed his iron miles right to leave himself short-sided with little green to work with and a bunker in his way.

He pitched it long and two-putted to sign for a 69.

McIlroy will be out early on Saturday and begin his third round 12 back of Danny Willett and Jon Rahm.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV