Hidecki Matsuyama hits a shot on Friday at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club
Adam Davy/PA via AP
Hideki Matsuyama holds a three-shot lead after the second round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in England, but several of Europe’s Ryder Cup stalwarts are hot on his heels in their final tune-up before heading to Bethpage Black later this month.
Matsuyama, making his debut at the DP World Tour’s flagship event, has wasted no time settling in. The former Masters champion has racked up 11 birdies across the first two days and added eagles on two par-5s during Friday’s round to reach 12-under. His highlights included sinking a 15-foot putt at the 4th and chipping in from the edge of the green at the 17th to seize the outright lead. “I wasn’t expecting I would play this good,” said the world No. 16.
Chasing him are Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and Justin Rose—each in sharp form as Europe gears up for the Ryder Cup from Sept. 26–28. Out of the 11 European team members in the field, only rookie Rasmus Højgaard failed to make the cut, finishing at 5-over after a second-round 75.
World No. 15 Hovland credited his short game for his second-round 66. The Norwegian made three consecutive birdies starting at the 4th, added another at 16, and capped the day by holing a 40-foot eagle putt at the last. “I’m super happy to be where I’m at, and honestly, the scoring has been incredible,” he said. Hovland arrives at Wentworth following a tie for seventh at the BMW Championship and a 12th-place finish at the Tour Championship. At Bethpage, he is expected to reunite with his 2023 Ryder Cup partner, Ludvig Åberg, who opened with a 64 and followed it up with a steady 69 to join him in a tie for second.
Rose matched Hovland’s 66, piling up eight birdies to move into the same tie for second place, giving Europe three players in the top spots heading into the weekend.
Elsewhere in the European ranks, Rory McIlroy endured a disappointing finish, closing with a double bogey for an even-par 72 that left him at 3-under and nine shots off the lead. Jon Rahm found a late spark, birdieing his final two holes for a 69 to reach 4-under, tied for 35th.
With Matsuyama setting the pace and Europe’s Ryder Cup stars in striking distance, the weekend at Wentworth is set up for a compelling battle—and a fitting prelude to the showdown at Bethpage Black.
You can watch tomorrow Saturday, September 13: 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel as well as online via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App, which will offer live simulcasts of Golf Channel’s telecasts.
Jeff Goudy is a golf writer and co-founder of Break80 Golf LLC. He can be found on social media platforms @Break80_Golf
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffgoudy/2025/09/12/star-power-at-the-top-of-the-bmw-pga-championship-leaderboard/
