'Pretty pedestrian' - Rory McIlroy in contention as Tommy Fleetwood makes sizzling start to BMW PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy made a solid start to the BMW PGA Championship, as he sits four shots adrift of leader Tommy Fleetwood. Playing in horrible conditions, with heavy showers drenching the early starters at Wentworth, McIlroy carded a 68 to sit at four-under. Ad McIlroy was alongside defending champion Billy Horschel and US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick in a stellar three-ball.

BMW PGA Championship'It moved, but backwards' — McIlroy left red-faced as ball hardly moves4 HOURS AGO Fitzpatrick made a lightning start with back-to-back birdies, but slipped in the middle of his round only to finish well to get to three-under. Horschel cruised round a course he loves to put himself firmly in contention at four-under. Fresh from his victory at the Tour Championship, McIlroy was impressive off the tee and played in a manner which suggested there is much more to come over the remaining three days.

“I thought I played okay,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “The rain was on and off all day and that made it tricky. “The course is so soft, it is so receptive.

It is target practice out there. If you are in the fairway, it is ball in hand with preferred lies, you can go low. “I felt four-under was pretty pedestrian.

I did not do a lot right, I did not do a lot wrong. I definitely feel the course is very gettable for the rest of the week.” Opinion split as Poulter and Horschel 'get into it' at BMW PGA Championship 'A novelty for them' — McIlroy takes swipe at LIV Golfers playing 72 holes McIlroy narrowly missed a birdie putt on the first, but got his round moving forwards with a birdie on five and followed it up on six. He met with a setback on eight when making a bogey after failing to move his ball with his second shot.