McIlroy produces big finish with eagle at No. 18 to move into contention at BMW PGA Championship

Virginia Water hosted the thrilling second round of the European Tour's prestigious PGA Championship. Rory McIlroy, a seven-time major champion, fought back from a sluggish first round to sit four strokes off the lead. Ryan Gerard of the United States took the early advantage, posting a strong 65. McIlroy, despite a poor finish to his opening round with three bogeys, showcased his prowess with three birdies in the first five holes of his comeback round.

He maintained his birdie streak, making more on the longer par-three holes. Meanwhile, Patrick Reed, nursing an injury, withdrew midway through his second round, leaving McIlroy to capitalize on the opportunity. Gerard's eagle on the 17th hole propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. In a closely contested field, Adam Scott of Australia and Manuel Elvira of Spain shared second place, while Aaron Rai, Aaron Rai, and Ryan Fox of the United States grouped together at nine under.