McIlroy leads BMW PGA Championship as Rory's resurgence continues

DP World Tour returns to Wentworth for flagship event

McIlroy on course to retain BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy is in familiar territory, leading the way to defend his BMW PGA Championship title after the opening day at Wentworth. After a superb victory in the Canadian Open last weekend, McIlroy fired an opening round of six-under-par 66 to take the early clubhouse lead in the DP World Tour's flagship event.

McIlroy is aiming to become only the second player to successfully defend the BMW PGA Championship, with Seve Ballesteros the only man to have achieved the feat in 1986 and 1987.

The Northern Irishman is a four-time winner of the tournament and could also become the first player to win the event three times in a row since Colin Montgomerie won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.

After birdies on the first, third, sixth, and seventh holes, McIlroy dropped his first shot of the day on the eighth hole.

He responded immediately with another birdie on the ninth hole to go out in 33 and then picked up further shots on the 12th and 13th holes to move to six under par.

McIlroy is one shot clear of a group of players on five under par, including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Rose is a former winner of the BMW PGA Championship, having won the event in 2012. Lowry is the reigning Open champion, while Fitzpatrick is a six-time winner on the DP World Tour.

The BMW PGA Championship is one of the most prestigious events on the DP World Tour and is often referred to as the 'European PGA Championship'.

The tournament was first played in 1955 and has been held at Wentworth since 1984. The course is a par 72 and measures 7,295 yards.

The BMW PGA Championship is one of four Rolex Series events on the DP World Tour, which are the most lucrative events on the tour.

The winner of the BMW PGA Championship will receive a first-place prize of €1.3 million.