Lowry saves best for last on stop-start day at Wentworth
Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was likely the happiest man at Wentworth as nine of the 11 European players broke par on a stop start opening day in the BMW PGA Championship.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg cruised to an eight-under-par 64 to share the lead with France’s Tom Vaillant, a shot clear of South Africa’s Caseey Jarvis, as a 90-minute midday storm disrupted play.
The marquee threeball of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry were the last group to finish in near darkness on a day when only Tommy Fleetwood (73) and Ramus Hojgaard (74) struggled in windy and sometimes wet conditions.
Matt Fitzpatrick made eight birdies in a 66 to share fourth place while Lowry made five birdies in his last seven holes and shot a 67 to share eighth with Justin Rose after almost holed his 105-yard third for eagle at the 18th.
The finishing hole was more of a struggle for Rahm and McIlroy, who both found the stream with their second shots.
Despite making his lone bogey of the day there, McIlroy cruised around in 69 to share 33rd with Tom McKibbin and Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton.
Rahm was three over with seven to play but fought back with four birdies for getting up and down for par at the last for a 71 that left him alongside. Robert MacIntyre as Pádraig Harrington posted a 73.
At the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, Lauren Walsh celebrated her 24th birthday by carding a five under 66 to lie just two shots behind England’s Esme Hamilton at Golfpark Holzhäusern.
“It was a really good day”, Walsh said after making seven birdies to share third place. “It’s my birthday too, so just all smiles all day. I putted it really well, and held a couple of putts so good overall.”
Rookie Canice Screene was joint seventh after a 67, while a 68 left Sara Byrne just outside the top 10.
On the HotelPlanner Tour, Max Kennedy and Liam Nolan opened with one under 70s to lie six shots off the pace in the Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos, tied for 53rd behind the Netherland’s Lars Van Miejel.
Nolan, who is ranked 30th in the season-long race for 20 DP World Tour cards, made six birdies while 31st-ranked Kennedy had just three.
Meanwhile, Naas’ Robert Brazill carded a five-under 67 to battle his way into position to make it through the First Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School at the Northumberland Golf Club.
He's tied for eighth heading into the final round, just inside the top 14 and ties who will qualify for next month’s Second Stage in Spain.
Whitehead’s John-Ross Galbraith (31) shot 70 to lie solo fourth on 12-under, but the rest of the Irish need something miraculous to progress.
Daniel Mulligan (20) is 43rd on one-over after a 69, nine shots outside the qualifying places.
Connemara’s Luke O’Neill shot 76 to share 48th on two over, while a 73 left Mallow’s James Sugrue a shot further back in 50th.
