Story perspectives

Rory McIlroy climbs to 11-under, within two

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 10:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

McIlroy Near Lead

Rory McIlroy shot 69 in round three, moving to 11-under and within two shots of the lead at Wentworth.
Filippo Celli and Manuel Elvira share the 13-under lead after three rounds.
Patrick Reed retired mid-round with an injury while nine-over, opening a points chance for McIlroy.
Ryan Gerard led after round two with 65 but fell back after a 75 on Saturday.

Summary

Reed Eyes Top-10

Reed aims to finish top 10 in the Race to Dubai to earn a 2027 PGA Tour card.
A win would make him only the second American to claim the Race to Dubai, after Collin Morikawa in 2022.
A wrist injury forced his withdrawal from the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, jeopardizing his points lead.
Reed earned DP World Tour honorary life membership in 2019 and quit LIV Golf in February 2026.

History

Historical Context

In 2009 the European Tour renamed its Order of Merit the Race to Dubai, and Lee Westwood captured the inaugural title with a $5 million prize. Collin Morikawa became the first American victor in 2022, amassing 1,000 Race-to-Dubai points and breaking a 13-year British dominance overall. Today, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed chase the same points race, with Reed eyeing a top-10 finish to echo Morikawa’s 2022 breakthrough. Their performances could reshape the Tour’s nationality balance, prompting sponsors to prioritize global talent and potentially expanding the Dubai prize pool beyond $5 million.

1 of 3

McIlroy Near Lead

Rory McIlroy shot 69 in round three, moving to 11-under and within two shots of the lead at Wentworth.
Filippo Celli and Manuel Elvira share the 13-under lead after three rounds.
Patrick Reed retired mid-round with an injury while nine-over, opening a points chance for McIlroy.
Ryan Gerard led after round two with 65 but fell back after a 75 on Saturday.

1 / 3