Gareth Bale helped bring the celebrity appeal to Wentworth, but Rory McIlroy delivered the golfing fireworks as the BMW PGA Championship’s pre tournament Pro Am produced a memorable afternoon of sport and entertainment. With famous faces from football, cricket and motorsport joining the professionals on Wednesday, September 16, McIlroy turned the warm up into something special, shooting a spectacular 12 under par 60.
The Northern Irishman’s bogey free round featured ten birdies and an eagle on Wentworth’s West Course. After picking up his first birdie at the third, he eagled the par five fourth before reeling off eight consecutive birdies. Another late birdie completed an extraordinary scoring display, giving his playing partners a close up view of just how devastating his best golf can be.
Importantly, the 60 was McIlroy’s individual score with his own ball, rather than a combined team total. His performance helped a group featuring former England cricketer Stuart Broad, Olympic hockey gold medallist Sam Quek and former Formula One technician Calum Nicholas finish at a combined 42 under par. They won the morning Pro Am competition by seven strokes, adding a team victory to McIlroy’s remarkable personal performance.
There was, however, an important distinction behind the eye catching number. Because it came in the Pro Am rather than an official tournament round, McIlroy’s 60 does not count as an official Wentworth course record. The recognized mark remains 62. Even without a place in the official record books, the round offered an impressive statement of form before the championship itself.
Broad was particularly impressed by the composure McIlroy showed throughout the round. Speaking afterwards, he described his playing partner as being firmly in the zone, praising his putting and relaxed approach. “He looked in the zone on that front nine. Very calm, relaxed,” Broad told Sky Sports.
Bale, meanwhile, joined Ludvig Åberg, cricket great Brian Lara and former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart. Their team finished 15th with a combined score of 23 under par. Playing off a reported handicap of 1.1, Bale was among several former football stars taking part, alongside John Terry, Eden Hazard and Robbie Fowler.
For McIlroy, the performance provided an encouraging contrast to his tied 41st finish at the previous week’s Amgen Irish Open. The 2014 BMW PGA Championship winner had arrived at Wentworth looking to turn positive signs in his game into a stronger result. A spectacular practice day score cannot guarantee tournament success, but it certainly gives him something encouraging to build on when every shot begins to count.
The main championship, running from September 17 to 20, presents a much tougher challenge. Defending champion Alex Noren returns after beating Adrien Saddier in a play off last year, while Shane Lowry arrives following an emphatic 11 shot victory at the Irish Open. With players including Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose also in the field, McIlroy faces substantial competition for one of the DP World Tour’s flagship titles.
Wednesday’s biggest takeaway was not a trophy or an official record, but a reminder of McIlroy’s scoring potential. The celebrity names supplied the occasion; his golf supplied the defining performance. The question now is whether he can carry that same freedom and precision into four rounds of championship pressure.
