Matt Wallace leads stacked field after BMW PGA Championship first round

England’s Matt Wallace leads the way after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club, thanks to an opening 65.

Matt Wallace went bogey-free on Thursday morning in Surrey, with five birdies and an eagle in his seven-under-par opening round, as he goes on the hunt for a fifth European Tour title, and a first Rolex Series win at the 2019 BMW PGA Championship.

The Englishman sits a shot clear of two of Europe’s big hitters. Jon Rahm and Henrik Stenson sit at -6, with both enjoying good finishes to their rounds.

The Spaniard, who already has a Rolex Series event victory to his name in 2019 after winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, recorded four birdies in his last five holes to card a 66.

Meanwhile, Stenson eagled the par-5 18th hole to finish his round at six-under, following a run of four birdies in five holes on his front nine at Wentworth.

Justin Rose is a further shot back, two behind countryman Wallace. The former US Open Champion carded a 67 in his opening round of the BMW PGA.

A further shot back, and sitting at -4, are Paul Casey and Danny Willett. The pair make it four Englishmen inside the top five (and ties), along with a second Swede in Sebastian Soderberg and a trio of South Africans.

Those three are Christiaan Bezuidenhout, George Coetzee and Ernie Els, with the ‘Big Easy’ showing the world that he still has it at the age of 49.

The European trio of Scott Jamieson, Andrea Pavan and Joost Luiten are also amongst the group at -4 after carding opening rounds of 68.

European Tour debutant Viktor Hovland is among those at -3, alongside the defending BMW PGA Champion, Francesco Molinari. Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston and 2017 winner Alex Noren also shot 69 on the opening day at Wentworth.

Martin Kaymer is among those that sit five shots back, with the American duo of Patrick Reed and Tony Finau, and England’s Tommy Fleetwood alongside him.

British Open Champion Shane Lowry and 2014 FedEx Cup Champion Billy Horschel are among those at level par, but they sit in a tie for 69th, which is currently outside the cut line.

The English trio of Lee Westwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Ian Poulter all sit at +1, while Bernd Wiesberger and Thomas Bjorn are a further shot back.

The big shock of the day saw World No.2 Rory McIlroy shoot a four-over-par 76. The four-time major winner was three-under through his first five holes, but then carded six bogeys and a double bogey on 17 to drop back down the field, now sitting in a tie for 114th.

The Northern Irishman will need one hell of a comeback on the second day at Wentworth if he is to make the cut, let alone challenge for a second BMW PGA Championship title.

Once again, the action will get underway at 07:00 at Wentworth (GMT+1), but can Matt Wallace maintain his lead? Or will it be one of the big European hitters that hold the top spot at the end of day two?

Leaderboard:

1 (-7): Matt Wallace (ENG)

T2 (-6): Henrik Stenson (SWE), Jon Rahm (ESP)

4 (-5): Justin Rose (ENG)

T5 (-4): Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Ernie Els, George Coetzee (all RSA), Paul Casey (ENG), Danny Willett (ENG), Joost Luiten (NED), Scott Jamieson (SCO), Andrea Pavan (ITA)

Selected Others:

T14 (-3): Victor Hovland (NOR), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Alex Noren (SWE), Andrew Johnston (ENG)

T27 (-2): Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Martin Kaymer (GER), Patrick Reed (USA), Tony Finau (USA)

T42 (-1): Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Haotong Li (CHN),

T69 (E): Shane Lowry (IRL), Billy Horschel (USA)

T114 (+4): Rory McIlroy (NIR), Luke Donald (ENG), Robert Karlsson (SWE)