Europe’s biggest and brightest stars were out and about Thursday at Wentworth as the DP World Tour’s flagship event got underway at the 2026 BMW PGA Championship. While the household names lurked, it was the man who raised the biggest trophy of the season who summited the top of the leaderboard following Round 1.
PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai cruised to an opening 6-under 66 to command a share of the lead with Joakim Lagergren of Sweden. Adam Scott sits one stroke behind playing through the more difficult afternoon wave alongside American Ryan Gerard. Patrick Reed and Viktor Hovland sit two back.
“Really pleased overall,” Rai said. “Conditions were pretty tricky. We had a lot of rain during that warm up. But by the time it started, the wind had stopped, so that helped to start really well. I felt like I got into the round fast and got a couple birdies early on and continued to just play well throughout the round and keep the momentum going when I was out of position.”
While Rai rose to the top of the leaderboard thanks to seven birdies against one bogey, eyes drift to the game within the game between Reed and Rory McIlroy. The Masters champion opened with a 69, no thanks to three bogeys in his final six holes. This comes a day after McIlroy signed for a 12-under 60 in the pro-am.
With the Race to Dubai on the mind, McIlroy looks to make his move on Reed as the season finale comes into view. Reed extended his lead over the seven-time winner thanks to his runner-up result to Shane Lowry at the Irish Open and is relishing in keeping McIlroy at bay as the fall season progresses.
“I am excited,” McIlroy said. “Obviously this week is a really big week. A lot of points on offer. I didn’t have the greatest week last week, and Patrick played well, so I dropped a little bit further behind him. India is going to be another good week, a competitive field, and I’ve always loved going to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, two places and two courses that have treated me well over the years. Hopefully I go there still in with a chance, and yeah, try to finish the year off strong in the Middle East and try to win another Race to Dubai.”
Both McIlroy and Reed touched the lead at various points Thursday morning. McIlroy made mincemeat of the back nine (his front nine) and turned in 5 under thanks to a birdie on the par-5 18th before bleeding a couple strokes coming home. Meanwhile, Reed was steady as ever.
The American pushed his total out to 5 under where Rai and Lagergren stood at the time before a bogey on his final hole, the par-4 8th, put him a pair behind the duo at the top heading into Friday.
“Any time I get to go play against Rory, it’s always fun because that means you get to play some amazing golf,” Reed said. “With his record and just kind of his resumé that he has, he’s a champion. He’s been a champion a ton of times and he’s one of those guys that if you go up against the best, you’re going to have to take him and Scottie [Scheffler] on. To have the opportunity to take him on throughout the whole rest of the year is going to be fun and looking forward to it.”