McIlroy Narrows Race to Dubai Gap After BMW PGA Runner-Up

Rory McIlroy came agonizingly close at Wentworth again — but a flatstick that refused to cooperate kept him off the top step. Now he's locked in on the Race to Dubai, and the gap to Patrick Reed is shrinking fast.

Putter Lets McIlroy Down at Wentworth

Heading into Sunday's final round two shots off the pace, McIlroy played some of his cleanest ball-striking of the week. He briefly grabbed a share of the lead during a tense back nine, but a succession of missed birdie opportunities proved too costly. A closing par left him with a 68 — good enough for a tied-second finish at 15-under, but two strokes short of JJ Spaun, who claimed the title by a pair of shots.

"I had my chances out there," McIlroy told Sky Sports. He pointed to multiple holes — two, three, five, eight, nine, ten, thirteen, and the last — where he felt he hit quality putts that simply wouldn't drop. "I struggled with some of the reads today," he admitted, drawing a comparison to a similarly cold week on the greens at the Amgen Irish Open.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley echoed that assessment, noting McIlroy appeared to miss "putt after putt after putt" — a surprising sight for a player who has visibly upgraded that part of his game in recent seasons. McGinley rated McIlroy's overall week at roughly 3.5 out of five for what he's capable of, yet still marveled that a sub-par performance produced a tied-second finish.

Fourth Runner-Up at Wentworth, Still Chasing a Win

The result adds another frustrating chapter to McIlroy's Wentworth story. His previous runner-up finishes there came in 2018, 2022, and 2024 — and this one makes four bridesmaid appearances at the DP World Tour's flagship event since his lone victory at the venue back in 2014.

It's also worth noting that McIlroy hasn't claimed a worldwide victory since successfully defending his Masters title in April. He's been consistently in contention — a pattern that goes back to his build-up events earlier this year — but converting has proven elusive.

Reed Leads, But the Race Is On

The silver lining from Sunday is the Race to Dubai math. McIlroy's share of second place earned him 532 points, hauling him to within approximately 308 points of Reed at the top of the standings. Reed had withdrawn mid-round on Friday due to injury, which tightened the race considerably.

McIlroy was quick to wish his rival well, saying he hopes Reed recovers fully so the season-ending battle can play out properly. "For Patrick, it was unfortunate this week. Hopefully he's okay," McIlroy said, before making clear his own ambitions. He's eyeing an eighth Race to Dubai title — a tally that would put him level with Colin Montgomerie's all-time record.

"As soon as The Open was over, really that was the goal for the rest of the year," McIlroy explained. He's been building toward this moment all season, fine-tuning his game at various stages with an eye on a strong finish.

What's Next for McIlroy

The Northern Irishman has three key events remaining on his schedule. He tees it up at the DP World India Championship from October 15–18, then heads to the Abu Dhabi Championship (November 5–8) before the season finale at the DP World Tour Championship (November 12–15).

Three weeks of prep time before India gives McIlroy a chance to iron out the putting kinks. If the irons stay sharp and the flat stick heats up, the Race to Dubai could get very interesting down the stretch. Reed may hold the lead, but McIlroy has momentum — and a very clear goal in mind.

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