Chaos descends on the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth as Rory McIlroy brands late finish a ‘s***show’, an angry gambler tries to put Bob MacIntyre off and reports of clashes with drunken fans

• World No 2 Rory McIlroy birdied the last hole at Wentworth despite the light
• Bob MacIntyre revealed he was accosted by an angry gambler on Friday
• Fog on the course on Friday morning saw play delayed by 80 minutes in Surrey

Rory McIlroy’s birdie on the final hole at the BMW PGA Championship came despite the golfer surviving what he branded a ‘s***show’ in controversial late finish at Wentworth. 

After an 80-minute delay as a result of fog earlier in the morning, play had been hampered throughout Friday. 

As a result, McIlroy’s second round finished in near total darkness, relying on the screen from one of the giant scoreboards for sufficient light.

At the time the Northern Irishman took to the tee, his was one of four groups waiting for their turn. 

As a result, the 34-year-old was left fuming by the situation, but still managed to hold his composure and two-putt for a birdie on the 18th to all but ensure he would make the cut. 

Rory McIlroy branded the late finish at Wentworth a ‘s***show’ after relying on a nearby scoreboard for light

The 34-year-old birdied the 18th hole with a two-putt but admitted it was ‘hard for me’ to play the last well and still make the cut

The hole had to be illuminated by the giant scoreboard on the green due to fading light

‘It was a s***show,’ McIlroy said after his 71. ‘The fog obviously delayed things but I’ve never remembered having that many players on 17 and 18. It’s not as if they teed us off in tighter slots or anything.

‘It’s hard for me trying to play the last well and make the cut, it’s a bit of a mad dash and a scramble to get finished. I don’t know what you could do about that apart from less players in the field.’

Should he make the cut, McIlroy would keep alive the prospect of the European Ryder Cup side continuing into the third round. 

But it was not the only moment of controversy in Surrey, with 2018 Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn reportedly crossing paths with a drunken fan at Wentworth. 

It is unclear what was said between the two parties, but Bjorn was seen making his way over to the fan behind the ropes at Wentworth. 

Furthermore, Bob MacIntyre – one of Luke Donald’s 12 picks – was accosted by a gambler in the crowd. 

The spectator is thought to have told MacIntyre that he wanted to him to be beaten by his playing partners, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick. It is unclear which of the two the gambler was backing. 

”I was getting a bit of stick there coming up 17. There’s obviously gambling going on in the game of golf nowadays and some people ride a lot of money on it – and, unfortunately, he lost today,’ MacIntyre revealed. 

Bob MacIntyre was involved in an argument with a fan who had money on the event on Friday

Thomas Bjorn was also reportedly caught in a row with a drunken fan and was seen making his way behind the ropes

‘He told me the amount he had riding on it,’ he added. ‘I actually spoke about that to someone a few weeks ago, it might even have been Jon [Rahm] about the heckling on the PGA Tour. 

‘It’s all about gambling nowadays and I said to Greg [Milne, his caddie] walking to the 18th tee “be switched on as this guy could throw anything at us here, so keep an eye on him and do your job”. 

Saturday morning will see the resumption of the second round, which was eventually called to halt on Friday night.

The lead is currently held by Ryder Cup debutant Ludvig Aberg and his Swedish compatriot Sebastian Soderberg, both -10.

Source: Read Full Article