Rory McIlroy has begun his campaign at the 2026 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, partnered with Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox. The Northern Irishman enters the tournament seeking to reclaim the top spot in the Race to Dubai standings after a tied-41st finish at the Amgen Irish Open saw him trail Patrick Reed by a single position.
McIlroy, who currently holds seven Race to Dubai titles, expressed strong motivation to secure an eighth championship. He acknowledged that while he is working on adjustments to his swing, his primary focus remains on competing for wins down the stretch of the season.
The event follows a highly successful celebrity pro-am on Wednesday, where McIlroy carded a stunning 12-under-par 60. His team, featuring cricketer Stuart Broad, Olympic gold medalist Sam Quek, and Calum Nicholas, won the competition by seven strokes.
Other notable figures made their presence felt during the pro-am festivities. Former footballers Gareth Bale and John Terry participated, with Bale sharing his optimism regarding Tottenham Hotspur’s prospects under manager Roberto De Zerbi. Additionally, former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart offered his analysis of the current Premier League title race.
Meanwhile, Matt Fitzpatrick addressed the ongoing geopolitical situation, admitting he is not entirely comfortable with the prospect of playing in the Middle East for the upcoming Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The 2025 DP World Tour Championship winner, who recently became a father, stated that while he understands the difficulty of making such decisions, his personal preference currently leans against traveling to the region.
Fitzpatrick also weighed in on the future of the DP World Tour, suggesting that major events should be moved to the September-to-November window to attract players from the PGA Tour. He argued that this shift could help European players maintain their priority on home soil while still engaging top global talent.
On the tee sheet for Thursday, the marquee groups feature significant star power. Alongside McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, and Fitzpatrick will play together, while Brooks Koepka, Jordan Scott, and Alex Noren are set for the afternoon session. The tournament air live on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage commencing at 7:30 am.
Ryan Fox, who will compete next week in the Presidents Cup, shared that the current Ryder Cup squad remains fully supportive of the American-led team. Fox described the opportunity to add to team history as a key goal for the remainder of his season.
Fitzpatrick raising valid points about the schedule. Why force players to travel when September slots are open?
That 60 in the pro-am is absolutely insane. McIlroy makes it look too easy even on a Wednesday!