• World No 294 lets victory slip in agonising fashion

• JJ Spaun triumphs by two shots at Wentworth

We will come to JJ Spaun and Jeremy Clarkson later. Only those without an ounce of compassion in their body could feel no sympathy for Manuel Elvira. The Spaniard, without a professional win to his name, stood on the 18th fairway at Wentworth’s West Course with one of golf’s most extraordinary stories in his grasp. Having just eagled the 71st hole and found the short grass on the friendly par five, the 30-year-old who began tournament week as the world’s 294th ranked player knew a birdie would seal the PGA Championship title. A par would force Spaun into a playoff.

What happened next was a form of sporting torture rather than the realisation of a fairytale. Elvira pulled his layup into a bunker, flew the green, fluffed a chip into another sand trap and missed a bogey putt from 4ft. He did exceptionally well not to burst into tears. The disastrous 18th meant Elvira finished in a four-way tie for second place. Even Spaun, a winner on his Wentworth debut, had to be bashful at the manner of success.

• Northern Irishman two behind Celli and Elvira

• Unlikely leaders birdie 18th to reach 13 under

Eighteen holes sit between Rory McIlroy and an impressive piece of symmetry. In September 2025, McIlroy claimed a second Irish Open title in euphoric scenes at the K Club. Five months earlier, he had won the Masters.

At Wentworth on Sunday, McIlroy will take off in hot pursuit of a second PGA Championship crown. As was the case last year, he is the reigning Masters champion. Another season that will inevitably be defined by Augusta National could find itself with a cherry on top.

• Tommy Fleetwood also misses the cut at three over

• Adam Scott cards second 67 to be well placed at halfway

Missed cuts for Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm at the PGA Championship would be notable enough even without contemplating the latter’s 36-hole score.

The sight of Rahm dead last was remarkable – after rounds of 78 and 77, he was 11 over par. Fleetwood’s exit at plus three, while less dramatic, was another obvious blow to the tournament organisers at Wentworth. On a day of high-profile departures, injury forced Patrick Reed out of the event midway through his round. That scenario might have repercussions as Rory McIlroy seeks to prise the DP World Tour’s order of merit from the American’s grasp.

• US PGA champion shoots 66 to share lead with Lagergren

• Pair lead by one from Gerard and Scott at Wentworth

What do you get for shooting 60 in a pro-am? Just ask Rory ­McIlroy. ­“Nothing,” said the Masters ­champion. “Besides a social media post I didn’t want.” McIlroy was laughing but the underlying ­sentiment was obvious: exceptional rounds are best saved for the real stuff.

News that McIlroy had taken only 60 shots around Wentworth’s West Course while in the company of ­celebrities was a hot topic of ­conversation going in to this PGA Championship. ­McIlroy shrugged off the score as something he ­produces fairly regularly. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he added. “My ­playing partners were happy, they won something.”

• World No 4 may snub World Tour Championship

• ‘I’m not comfortable playing in the Middle East’

Matt Fitzpatrick, the world No 4, has admitted to reservations over appearing at the DP World Tour’s end‑of‑season events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai because of the conflict in the Middle East.

The Englishman, who is due to defend the DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai, has accused the tour of being “very vague” over plans to retain or move the tournaments. In Fitzpatrick’s mind, it is a “no-brainer” to play elsewhere, but he believes his sentiment will not feature strongly in the thoughts of the tour’s hierarchy.

• PGA commissioner: ‘The Tour is built on meritocracy’

• Rahm and Hatton likely to start back on DP World Tour

The head of the PGA Tour has insisted there will be no favours offered to golfers looking to return to the ­platform after LIV’s bankruptcy filing last week.

The increasing likelihood is players such as Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Tyrrell Hatton will have to play their way back on to the PGA Tour through performances in Europe in 2027 in what would represent a boost to the DP World Tour.