🌐 [BMW PGA] 라이언 제라드, 막판 '이글-버디' 폭발하며 2R 단독 선두

01막판 연속 파5 홀 '이글-버디'… 라이언 제라드, 2타 차 단독 선두 진출

미국의 라이언 제라드가 DP월드투어 플래그십 대회이자 롤렉스 시리즈인 BMW PGA 챔피언십 2라운드에서 무결점 플레이를 펼치며 단독 선두로 반환점을 돌았다. 제라드는 잉글랜드 윈트워스 클럽 웨스트 코스에서 열린 대회 둘째 날, 보기 없이 이글 1개와 버디 5개를 묶어 7언더파 65타를 몰아쳤다. 중간 합계 12언더파를 기록한 그는 공동 2위 그룹을 2타 차로 따돌리고 리더보드 최상단을 차지했다.

제라드의 승부수는 윈트워스 클럽의 상징적인 파5 연속 마무리 홀(17·18번)에서 나왔다. 13번 홀까지 버디 4개로 차분히 타수를 줄여가던 그는 17번 홀(파5)에서 두 번째 샷을 홀 6m에 붙인 뒤 깔끔하게 이글을 성공시켰다. 이어 마지막 18번 홀(파5)에서도 버디를 추가하며 막판 '이글-버디' 마무리로 단숨에 독주 체제를 구축했다. 제라드는 이날 파5 홀에서만 5타를 줄이는 엄청난 집중력을 발휘했다.

지난 시즌 바라쿠다 챔피언십 우승으로 DP월드투어 시드를 확보한 제라드는 PGA 투어 오프시즌 기간을 활용해 유럽 무대에서맹활약을 이어가고 있다. 세계랭킹 커리어 하이인 21위까지 상승한 그는 "윈트워스처럼 훌륭한 코스에서 뛸 수 있어 매우 기쁘다. 하루 종일 인내심을 갖고 계획대로 샷을 집행한 결과가 좋게 이어졌다"며 만족감을 표했다.

한편, 이탈리아의 필리포 첼리와 베테랑 애덤 스콧(호주)이 중간 합계 10언더파로 2위 그룹을 형성했고, 에런 라이와 마누엘 엘비라가 9언더파로 뒤를 이었다. 메이저 챔피언 로리 맥길로이와 라이언 폭스 역시 각각 67타, 68타를 치며 중간 합계 8언더파로 상위권 추격의 발판을 마련했다.

02Original (English) — DP World Tour

Ryan Gerard carded a brilliant bogey-free round of 65 to take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the BMW PGA Championship.

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The American had put himself in the mix with an opening 67 and remained in touch with the leaders as he picked up four birdies in 13 holes on Friday at Wentworth Club.

He was one shot off the lead as he entered the West Course's famous pair of par-five finishers but went eagle-birdie to get to 12 under and leap ahead of nearest challengers Filippo Celli and Adam Scott.

US PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai was then at nine under alongside Spaniard Manuel Elvira, with Major champions Rory McIlroy, Ryan Fox and JJ Spaun a further shot back with Ross Fisher and Elvira's brother Nacho for company.

Gerard earned DP World Tour status by winning last season's Barracuda Championship and finished in a tie for 38th in his debut at this Rolex Series event last season.

He has finished a runner-up four times since, including three events in a row as 2025 turned into 2026, and arrived in England at a career-high 21st on the Official World Golf Ranking as he looks to maintain momentum in a truly global schedule.

"I just love playing golf," he said. "The DP World Tour is a great tour and we're lucky to have fantastic events like this one that I can come play in what would technically be the off-season on the PGA Tour.

"There's a lot of really awesome places outside of the United States that we don't get to go to very often. To be lucky enough to come over here to Wentworth and also go to France next week, other events on the schedule, it's really, really cool that I have that opportunity, and we're going to take advantage of it."

On his 65, he added: "I don't know if I was feeling an eagle-birdie finish but I stayed patient all day.

"You know when you get to the last couple of holes at Wentworth here, they are gettable. There's also trouble lurking, so you have to be careful. Just felt like we were putting the ball in the right spots all day. Good things happen when you stick to the plan and execute shots."

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The 27-year-old made a quiet start on Friday, turning in 33 thanks to a two-putt gain at the par-five fourth and a smart approach to 13 feet at the eighth.

Another two-putt birdie at the 12th and a lengthy putt at the next then edged him up the leaderboard before he put a spectacular second to 20 feet at the 17th and finished with a third two-putt gain of the day as he played the par fives in five under.

Starting on the ninth, former Masters champion Scott bogeyed the 13th but then rattled off four birdies in a row: three from inside 12 feet and a two-putt gain on the 17th.

More smart approaches on the first and second had him in double figures but he bogeyed the third before getting up and down at the fourth and putting a tee-shot to four feet at the fifth.

At that point the Australian was 11 under and in the solo lead but a dropped shot on the seventh left the door open after a 67.

Italian Celli holed a 15-footer on the second, made a two-putt birdie on the fourth and then holed out on the sixth before dropping a shot on the next.

A 30-footer on the eighth saw him turn in 32 and he got up and down on all three of the back-nine par fives to surge into a share of the lead with a 66 before Gerard's late show.

Manuel Elvira turned in 34 with three birdies and two bogeys but made five gains on the back nine to fly up the leaderboard with a 66 of his own, while home hero Rai, recorded a birdie-birdie finish in a 69.

McIlroy and Fox were playing alongside Rai in a group comprised of three reigning Major champions and they both matched their playing partner's birdie-birdie finish as they carded rounds of 67 and 68 respectively.

Spaun signed for a 66, Fisher rolled back the years with a 67 and Nacho Elvira registered a 69 to sit a shot ahead of Matt Wallace.

There were then 11 players at six under including defending champion Alex Noren, Ryder Cup star Sepp Straka and recent winner Joe Dean.

Report

Aaron Rai was alongside Joakim Lagergren at the top of a high-class leaderboard after day one of the BMW PGA Championship.