BMW PGA Championship 2026: Rory McIlroy two off pace as Manuel Elvira and Filippo Celli share third-round lead at Wentworth

Rather remarkably, 20 players will go into Sunday within four shots of the lead, including Rory McIlroy, who produced a box-office finish, sending the patrons into delirium on the 18th by making an eagle to move within two shots of the pace-setting duo at 11 under par.

McIlroy equalled four other players - Adam Scott, Joaquin Niemann, Davis Bryant and Kristoffer Reitan - to finish tied for sixth on the leaderboard through 54 holes.

In windy conditions, Spain's Alejandro Del Rey and American duo Johannes Veerman and JJ Spaun had all been tied with Celli and Elvira at 12 under par late in the third round.

Del Rey and Veerman had enjoyed epic days on the course, each shooting low scores of eight-under 64 to shoot up the leaderboard.

Celli, however, rose to make four birdies on his back nine, to jump above the chasing pack, alongside Elvira, and benefitted from an incredible bit of luck on his last hole.

His approach shot ricocheted off a wooden bulkhead lining the stream and somehow missed the water, instead skirting into the greenside bunker. From there he would make birdie to card a third-round 69.

"I'm very happy because today was very tough," the 26-year-old Italian said. "It was windy out there. So I'm happy with how I handled the situation. Sometimes the wind changed a bit, so it wasn't easy.

"I was very patient through the front nine because I knew that on the back nine, I could have like more chances to make some birdies."

Elvira also made a birdie on his last hole, to post a four-under 68, and said after his round he "feels ready" to claim his debut tournament on the DP World Tour.

Plenty of other high-profile players also remain firmly in contention at the top of a bunched leaderboard, with Robert MacIntyre impressing to go five under through what was a flawless, bogey-free back nine, as he rose to tied-11th at 10 under par, alongside Ludvig Åberg, Ryan Fox, Matt Wallace and Sam Bairstow.

"That was a grind out there," Scott, who had to battle to move to finish two shots off the lead, said. "I saw all these good scores up on the board, but it didn't feel like that was really doable.

"It was one step forward and a couple of steps back out there. Very hard to get in a rhythm. Hard to feel like you had a number where you could attack."

Elsewhere, first round co-leader Aaron Rai struggled to advance his score on Saturday, as he finished his day at nine under par. Matt Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, surged up the leaderboard to tie his compatriot, Rai, three back from the lead, alongside halfway leader Ryan Gerard, Alex Noren and Jordan Smith.

McIlroy: I will play aggressively if I need to

It felt like the Northern Irishman was looking for a spark throughout his third round, with McIlroy battling to go one over through his front nine.

The eighth hole has been his nemesis all week, with McIlroy cancelling out an early birdie on the fourth with a bogey on the eighth before adding another on the ninth.

It means McIlroy has gone three over on the eighth hole over his first three rounds.

The reigning Masters champion, who can usurp Patrick Reed at the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings with a second-place finish at the top of the leaderboard this week, found his groove, making birdie on the 12th, thanks to some excellent chipping.

He ended his third round with a flourish, striping a three-wood 375 yards down the fairway on the 17th hole on his way to make birdie, before stuffing an approach from 230 yards out to within a few feet of the hole.

McIlroy holed out for eagle to an enormous roar from the fans in the grandstand.

With so many players in contention, and crucial Race to Dubai rankings points in the balance for the world No 2, McIlroy insisted he would play aggressively on the back nine.

"Sunday is going to be interesting," McIlroy said.

"There are a lot of people around the leaders. I think the conditions over the last couple of days are the reason why no one has got away from the pack, just because it has played so tricky and difficult.

"I'll probably try not to look at the leaderboards on the front nine, and if I need to play a little bit more aggressively on the back, I'll do it."

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