You certainly get your money’s worth with Robert MacIntyre. The Scot packed so much into his opening nine holes on day two of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the official recorder just about had to call in the oversize baggage team from nearby Heathrow to deal with his card.
While the USA’s Ryan Gerard heads into the weekend with a two-shot lead on 12-under, MacIntyre’s topsy-turvy round was as undulating as the West Course’s terrain.
In the end, the Oban lefty had to settle for a level-par 72 which left him lagging well behind on a four-under aggregate.
A par on the ninth, his opening hole, was steady. The next few were a mix of the shaky and the spectacular.
MacIntyre leaked a shot on the 10th, double-bogeyed the 11th and dropped another stroke on the 12th. The Ofcom regulators must’ve been bracing themselves for a torrent of this and that as he trudged around with a glower that could’ve melted a club shaft.
A 10-footer for birdie on the 13th steadied the listing ship, though, before a thrilling brace of eagles put some wind in MacIntyre’s sails.
On the 15th, the 30-year-old holed his approach from 190-yards for a rousing two and then flighted a terrific second shot into four-feet on the par-five 17th for a three.
The comeback was well and truly on. And then it petered out. MacIntyre covered his remaining holes in one-over as his eventful day meandered to, well, an uneventful conclusion.
“I'm actually fizzing right now, but I have two days to fix it,” hissed MacIntyre through clenched teeth after finishing alongside fellow Scot, David Law.
“I just have to try to find some positives because I’m making too many mistakes.”
On a day which saw Race to Dubal leader, Patrick Reed, withdraw midway through a torrid second round with an injury, his US compatriot, Gerard, assumed command with a fine seven-under 65.
The 27-year-old finished a polished round with a flourish and rolled in a 20-footer for an eagle on the 17th before picking up a birdie on the last to lead by a couple from Adam Scott and Filippo Celli.
“I stayed patient all day and good things can happen on the last couple of holes at Wentworth when you stick to the plan and execute shots,” said Gerard of that profitable late push.
Australian veteran Scott posted his second 67 of the week for a 10-under aggregate as he hunts down a first victory since 2020.
The former world No 1, who earned his first title on the European circuit 25 years ago, shoved eight birdies into 10 holes during a purple patch which left him nicely placed.
“More of the same,” said Scott, as he mapped out his tactics for the weekend. “I have to stay on the gas and on the front foot and try to make a bunch of birdies.”
Celli, the young Italian who won the silver medal as the leading amateur in the 2022 Open at St Andrews, is battling to keep his tour card but he could change his season with a big finish this weekend.
The 26-year-old had made just six cuts prior to arriving at Wentworth, but he did fling a share of second into his season of toil in Denmark recently.
A sprightly 66 over the West Course now has him in the hunt for the DP World Tour’s most treasured title. Celli is not getting ahead of himself, though.
“I just try to focus on the present,” he said. “In this sport, we cannot calculate too much.” Sensible man.
Aaron Rai, the US PGA champion, is lurking on nine-under while Rory McIlroy moved up to eight-under after a 67.
Jon Rahm, meanwhile, was put out of his misery with a 77 as he departed Wentworth on 11-over.
Rahm had never finished lower than 13th in four previous Wentworth outings and has been second twice. He was all quiet on the West Course front this week.
With Reed pulling out – the former Masters champion was clearly labouring and was nine-over for his round before calling it quits – McIlroy has a chance to close the gap at the top of the rankings.
“Unfortunately, he (Reed) has pulled out this week, but it gives me an opportunity to try to claw back some ground and make the race even tighter going into these last few weeks,” said the world No 2.
It should be an intriguing weekend.
