Ryder Cup star Ludvig Åberg and tournament debutant Tom Vaillant share the overnight clubhouse lead after they each produced big finishes on day one of the weather-affected BMW PGA Championship.
Frenchman Vaillant, playing in the first group out on Thursday morning, reeled off six birdies in his final seven holes to set the target at eight under par.
Swede Åberg bounced back from an opening bogey with nine birdies – including three in a row at the end of his round – to sign for a 64 and join Vaillant at the summit.
With around 90 minutes lost following an afternoon weather delay due to thunder and lightning in the area, Thursday’s later starters will return to the course to complete their first rounds on Friday morning after play was suspended due to darkness at 19.30 local time.
Casey Jarvis was the co-leaders’ nearest challenger on seven under after the South African closed his round with five straight birdies.
Home favourite Matt Fitzpatrick, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, France’s Antoine Rozner and Swede Joakim Lagergren were another stroke further back.
Heading into the third Rolex Series event of the season 124th on the Race to Dubai Rankings, Vaillant is finding form at the right time.
His best result of the season so far came two weeks ago at the Omega European Masters where he finished in a tie for 17th courtesy of scores of 64 and 66 in the third and fourth rounds respectively.
And Vaillant produced his finest golf at Wentworth Club early on Thursday morning as he carded ten birdies and two bogeys.
He said: “It was a nice round. It was a wake-up at 03.50, and then it was very nice. I played well.
“I tried to stay patient and give myself opportunities because I know I’m playing well the last couple of weeks.
“So it showed that I can go low, so that’s nice.”
Åberg saved his best until last, finishing with a hat-trick of birdies at the 16th, 17th and 18th and playing some exceptional golf along the way.
After nearly spinning his approach at the 16th into the hole for what would have been an extraordinary eagle, Åberg drained his monster birdie putt from just off the 17th green to move within one shot of the lead.
And as play resumed after the weather delay, Åberg birdied the 18th from eight feet to join the lead.
He said: “I felt like once I got on the greens, I was rolling the putter really nice and tried to be aggressive with the speed. I managed to make a lot of putts, which is nice.
“Any time you shoot that kind of score, I think you need to be good on the greens, and that was what it was today.”
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