Billy Horschel Eagles Second Playoff Hole To Win BMW PGA Championship From Rory McIlroy

Heading into the final round of the DP World Tour’s flagship event, it was Matteo Manassero who led by three strokes following a 54-hole tournament record of 18-under-par.

However, the Italian struggled on Sunday and, consequently, that opened the door for multiple challengers to come out of the pack, as the likes of Thriston Lawrence, Aaron Rai, Rory McIlroy and Billy Horschel mounted charges over the final 18 holes.

With nine holes remaining, it was Lawrence and Rai who led, with both men well under-par as they battled it out over the West Course. For Rai, though, he would rue a run of pars and a late bogey, as he finished in a share of fourth.

That meant it was Lawrence’s to lose and, with a birdie at the 16th, he led by two strokes from McIlroy and Horschel. It was set up to be an epic and, after Lawrence parred in to set the target at 20-under, only the experienced duo could catch the South African.

Playing the 17th, McIlroy hit two stunning shots to find the green at the par 5 and, striking his putt from 45-feet, it never left the cup, with the eagle putting the four-time Major winner into a share of the lead. What’s more, playing partner, Horschel, managed to birdie to get one back going down the 18th.

The drama wasn’t done there, as Horschel very nearly holed his third from 90-yards for an eagle, whilst McIlroy nearly found the water with his second. The par for McIlroy and birdie for Horschel meant we headed to a three-way playoff, with all three finishing 20-under.

At the first, Lawrence found the water, whilst both Horschel and McIlroy birdied. Then, at the second playoff hole, the duo found the centre of the green, as both had makeable eagle opportunities.

Striking his putt first, McIlroy’s attempt grazed the right edge, with his birdie leaving it up to Horschel to hole his putt for the win. Lining it up, the ball rolled end-over-end and never looked like missing and, as it got to the hole, it was Horschel’s prize for a second time, with the 37-year-old becoming the first American to win at Wentworth twice.

After a five-under-par front nine of 30, Aaron Rai birdies the par 5 12th and takes a one stroke lead from Matteo Manassero, who has just bogeyed the par 3 10th. Along with Manassero, Thriston Lawrence has birdied the 11th to move to 17-under for the tournament, which is just one back of leader, Rai.