Hideki Matsuyama fired an 8-under 64 with two eagles to grab the lead at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday. He’s one stroke ahead of a European Ryder Cup trio at Wentworth.
Matsuyama sits at 12 under through two rounds, with Viktor Hovland (66), Ludvig Åberg (69) and Justin Rose (66) all chasing at 11 under. It’s their final competitive tune-up before heading to Bethpage Black for the Ryder Cup later this month.
Ten of Europe’s 11 team members playing this week made the cut, with only rookie Rasmus Hojgaard (+5 after a 75) heading home early.
Matsuyama, making his debut in the European tour’s flagship event, has taken to Wentworth immediately. He’s racked up 11 birdies alongside those two eagles, which both came on par-5s during Friday’s round. He rolled in a 15-footer at the fourth and chipped in spectacularly from the edge of the green at 17 to grab the late lead.
“I wasn’t expecting I would play this good,” the world No. 16 admitted.
Hovland, ranked 15th globally, put on a short-game clinic. The Norwegian made three consecutive birdies starting at No. 4, added another at 16, then electrified the crowd by draining a 40-foot eagle putt at the last.
“I’m super happy to be where I’m at and scoring-wise, it’s incredible to be honest with you,” Hovland said. “I can’t remember chipping and putting as well as I did today.”
Hovland’s recent form has been solid, with a T7 at the BMW Championship and 12th at the Tour Championship to close out the FedExCup playoffs.
Åberg, likely to be Hovland’s Ryder Cup partner at Bethpage, followed his opening 64 with a solid 69 to stay firmly in contention. Rose, meanwhile, carded eight birdies in his 66 to join them at 11 under.
The rest of Europe’s Ryder Cup contingent had mixed results. Rory McIlroy double-bogeyed the last hole for an even-par 72, leaving him nine shots back at 3 under. Jon Rahm finished stronger, birdieing his final two holes for a 69 that puts him at 4 under overall.
