BMW PGA Championship: Day one digest

Aaron Rai and Joakim Lagergren shared the lead, Rory McIlroy was encouraged his start, Patrick Reed was relishing the battle and Alex Noren was showing his touch.

Here is everything you need to know from day one at Wentworth Club.

Rai and Lagergren lead the way

Aaron Rai and Joakim Lagergren held a share of the lead after day one following rounds of 66. Rai, one of 14 Major champions in the field this week after winning the US PGA Championship in May, mixed seven birdies with a lone bogey to set the clubhouse target. It wasn't long though before Lagergren, also playing in the morning wave, moved alongside him with an eagle at the par-five 12th helping him to reach six under. A shot further back are Adam Scott, Ryan Gerard, Nacho Elvira and Ludvig Åberg, who produced a birdie-birdie-birdie finish.

Read our day one report in full here.

McIlroy off to 'encouraging' start

Rory McIlroy, who formed part of a marquee group featuring fellow 2026 Major champions Rai and Ryan Fox, is bidding to become a two-time champion at Wentworth. Having started off the ninth, with a two-tee start in play, the Northern Irishman made five birdies in his opening ten holes to help him briefly claim the solo lead. Despite a stumble on his way home, making three bogeys, he was seeing more positives than negatives after navigating a round that featured rain, sun and wind. "I certainly saw some improvements on the greens compared to last week," he said. "So, it's an encouraging start. I said last week in Ireland, I see encouraging signs in my game. It's just a matter of sticking with it, sticking with some of the feels that I've got in my swing; and hopefully over time, that feels more natural and I can just get in the flow of visualising shots and hitting shots and being more instinctive on course."

Reed relishing Race to Dubai battle with McIlroy

Patrick Reed has led the way on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World since February after a blistering start to the year that saw him win the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters. The American bolstered his lead over second-placed McIlroy at the Amgen Irish Open last time out. With increased points on offer at a Rolex Series event, both players are aware of the importance this week could have as the season run-in reaches a pivotal stage. Making what is his fifth DP World Tour start in a row, the 36-year-old is showing no signs of fatigue as he carded a four-under-par 68 to sit one shot ahead of the Northern Irishman after their respective opening rounds over the West Course. "Any time I get to go play against Rory, it's always fun because that means you get to play some amazing golf," said Reed. "With his record and just kind of his resumé that he has, he's a champion. 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."

The building bricks of golf

You're never too old to play with Lego, eh?

Away from plotting his way around the course, Åberg enjoys building figures brick by brick.

Team Europe high fives

Eleven members of the 2025 Ryder Cup-winning team at Bethpage are teeing it up this week, and the family ethos behind the Team Europe set-up was on show on the practice range as Sepp Straka caught up with Tommy Fleetwood's son Frankie.

Full commitment

The defending champion was putting on a show with this piece of brilliance. Bravo, Alex Noren.

Pitch perfect

Someone give the camera operater a raise. This angle of Nicolai Højgaard's approach at the 18th deserves to be seen.