Rory McIlroy began the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth with a strong performance but struggled in the final stretch, allowing Aaron Rai to take the early lead. McIlroy, a four-time major champion from Northern Ireland, was five under par through 10 holes and in the outright lead before three bogeys in his final six holes derailed his round. His score of 69 left him three shots behind Rai, who posted a six-under 66. Rai, the U.S. PGA champion, played a consistent round with five birdies in his first 10 holes, one bogey, and two more birdies in the final stretch. He finished with a strong performance, outpacing both McIlroy and Ryan Fox, who finished the day at four under. Rai’s performance came in the marquee group, which included Fox and the Open champion, and they finished a combined 13 under par for the day. McIlroy had started with a strong display, making five birdies in his first 10 holes, with most of them coming from within two and a half feet. He also converted a 20-foot putt at the 12th hole and had a run of three consecutive birdies from the 16th hole, with the closest shot coming from just over five inches. However, his momentum faltered as he missed an eagle attempt at the 17th and a birdie chance at the second hole. From there, he struggled with two bogeys, one at the third and another at the sixth, before managing to salvage birdie at the fourth and par at the seventh. Despite a strong start, McIlroy’s final holes were marred by poor driving, leading to a bogey at the eighth hole. He ended with a three-under 69, while Rai and others in the group also faced challenges on the eighth hole, where Reed briefly shared the lead before also falling to four under. The competition remains tight as players continue to vie for the top spot on the leaderboard.