Rory McIlroy has closed the gap on Patrick Reed at the top of the Race to Dubai standings after securing a tied-second finish at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.
The world number two posted a final-round 68 to finish on 15 under par, two strokes behind tournament winner JJ Spaun. McIlroy earned 532 Race to Dubai points for his four-way share of second place alongside Australian golfer Adam Scott, moving within 307.76 points of leader Reed in the season-long standings.
The BMW PGA Championship is the flagship event of the DP World Tour, the main professional golf circuit in Europe. Held annually at the West Course of Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, the tournament attracts the leading players on the tour fighting for one of the most prestigious titles outside of golf's four major championships.
Putting struggles at Wentworth
McIlroy entered the final round two strokes behind the leaders and mounted a dramatic challenge on Sunday, briefly grabbing a share of the lead. He birdied the par-four seventh hole following an approach shot, but his final round was frustrated by missed opportunities on the greens.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his round, McIlroy said he felt he hit the ball really well, describing it as probably the best he had struck it all week. However, he was unable to capitalize on numerous birdie chances throughout his round.
McIlroy noted that he had good opportunities on the second, third, fifth, eighth, ninth, tenth, 13th, and the final hole. He explained that although he felt he hit good putts, he struggled with reading the green lines in a similar fashion to his performance at the Amgen Irish Open the previous week.
McIlroy holed a couple of putts coming down the stretch, but stated that the story of his week was not holing as much as he should have. He added that if he had converted those chances, it would have been a different story.
A four-time major champion from Northern Ireland, McIlroy has established himself as one of the finest golfers of his generation. His victory at the Masters in April marked his most recent triumph, and he remains in search of his first worldwide win since that successful title defence.
The result at Wentworth marks McIlroy's fourth runner-up finish at the DP World Tour flagship event since his tournament victory in 2014. He previously finished in second place at Wentworth in 2018, 2022, and 2024.
Chasing Colin Montgomerie record
Following the conclusion of The Open Championship, McIlroy turned his full attention to chasing down Reed for the Race to Dubai crown, calling it his main goal for the remainder of the year. McIlroy has finished at the top of the European circuit Order of Merit in four consecutive seasons.
If McIlroy overtakes Reed to win the Race to Dubai again this season, it will mark his eighth Order of Merit title. That would pull him level with Scottish golfing legend Colin Montgomerie, who holds the all-time record of eight titles after dominating European golf with seven consecutive wins from 1993 to 1999 and a final title in 2005.
Standings leader Reed withdrew mid-round during Friday's second round at Wentworth due to an injury. Prior to his withdrawal, the American, who won the Masters in 2018, had stated that he was looking forward to a battle with McIlroy for the season title.
McIlroy expressed sympathy for Reed's injury, saying it was unfortunate and expressing hope that Reed recovers in time to play the necessary events to create a good battle down the stretch. McIlroy stated that he is excited for the challenge and will keep working on his game over a three-week break to give himself a great chance at claiming his eighth title.
McGinley offers expert assessment
Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley offered his assessment of McIlroy's performance during live television coverage on Sky Sports. McGinley said McIlroy left a lot behind on the greens after giving himself loads of chances during the round.
McGinley noted that it was surprising for a player who has improved his putting significantly over the past couple of years and looks so comfortable over the ball to miss putt after putt. McGinley, an Irish former tour player who captained Europe to Ryder Cup victory at Gleneagles in 2014, works as a lead analyst for Sky Sports, the UK subscription network that broadcasts live DP World Tour coverage.
McGinley rated McIlroy's tee-to-green play at 3.5 out of five compared to what he is capable of producing. He remarked that it was almost as though McIlroy could not get out of the starting blocks, yet still managed to finish tied-second, calling the performance incredible and a display of his immense talent.
Middle East playoffs ahead
American golfer JJ Spaun won the BMW PGA Championship title, posting a closing round to claim a two-shot victory over McIlroy, Scott, and two other players tied in second place on 15 under par.
Scott, the 2013 Masters winner and former world number one from Australia, played alongside McIlroy in the final group on Sunday as both players chased Spaun before settling for a share of second spot.
McIlroy is next scheduled to play at the DP World India Championship, taking place from October 15 to 18. That tournament will be his final outing before the DP World Tour season culminates with two playoff events in the Middle East.
The season-ending playoff series begins with the Abu Dhabi Championship from November 5 to 8, followed by the DP World Tour Championship from November 12 to 15, where the final Race to Dubai champion will be crowned.
