Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed pulls out injured in BMW PGA Championship

Reed, who is attenpting to deny Rory McIlroy in his bid to claim a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, withdrew after playing nine holes at the Surrey venue in the second round due to a wrist injury.

The American, who started the day just two shots off the lead in the $9 million Rolex Series event after an opening four-under-par 68, was nine-over-par for his round when he called it a day on the tenth tee.

Former LIV Golf man Reed, who is now free to resume his PGA Tour career but is deciding to concentrate on the DP World Tour for the time being, started his second circuit at the Surrey venue with a triple-bogey 7. He’d also taken a double-bogey 7 at the fourth and a double-bogey 6 at the eighth as he tumbled down the leaderboard.

After carding a second-round 67 to sit joint-sixth on eight under - four shots off the lead, held by American Ryan Gerard - McIlroy is determined to make the most of his main Race to Dubai rival not being around for the weekend.

“Yeah, look, I'm motivated regardless of who it is,” said the back-to-back Masters champion. “Obviously Patrick and I have had quite the battles over the years, whether it be Ryder Cup, final round in a major or Dubai Desert Classic a few years ago.

“He's a great competitor and he's played great all year. I respect him for how he's gone about it and coming over here. He's put his head down and done the work, and it's actually been really good to see.

“Unfortunately he's pulled out this week, which gives me an opportunity to try to claw back some ground that I lost last week in Ireland. This weekend is a big weekend for me to pick up a few points and make the race even tighter going into these last few weeks.”

Ryder Cup team-mates Rahm and Fleetwood, meanwhile, both missed the halfway cut after disappointing displays in the DP World Tour’s flagship event.

Two-time major winner Rahm followed an opening 78 with a 77 for an 11-over-par total - his worst performance since signing for the same scores in the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Fleetwood, last year’s FedEx Cup winner, was left licking his wounds on home soil after scores of 73-74 for a three-over aggregate left him making an early exit as well. Excluding majors and WGCs, it was Fleetwood’s first missed cut on the DP World Tour since the 2018 FedEx Open de France.

Bidding to emulate Arnold Palmer (1975) and Billy Horschel (2021 and 2024) by becoming an American winner of the event, Gerard carded an eagle and six birdies to open up a two-shot lead at the halfway stage over Australian Adam Scott and Italian Filippo Celli.

“For me, personally, it's really right up there,” replied former Masters champion Scott to being asked what it would mean to add this event to a glittering CV. “Let's put the majors aside for a minute, I think there's the Players' Championship Wentworth and the Australian Open for me at that level of importance. It would be huge.”