Updated Sept. 18, 2026, 4:15 p.m. ET
Ryan Gerard leads the BMW PGA Championship after being left off the U.S. Presidents Cup team.Fellow American J.J. Spaun, also omitted from the Presidents Cup, is tied for sixth.Three of the four major champions from 2026 remain in contention, including Rory McIlroy.Big names like Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Brooks Koepka missed the cut.
When Brandt Snedeker announced his captain’s picks for the U.S. Presidents Cup team, a loud portion of American fans on social media expressed frustration seeing Ryan Gerard’s name omitted. There seemed to be a consensus among commenters that Gerard was the victim of a good ol’ fashioned snubbing.
But while he had plenty of outraged mouthpieces on the internet, Gerard did not throw himself a pity party. Quite the opposite. He wasn’t going to let Snedeker’s decision derail his plans for a swing across the pond.
After finishing solo third at the Tour Championship, Gerard took a red-eye to Switzerland for the Omega European Masters, where he finished T-30, and this week, he’s in England for the BMW PGA Championship, the DP World Tour’s marquee event.
“The DP World Tour is a great tour and we’re lucky to have fantastic events like this one that I can come play in what would technically be the offseason on the PGA Tour,” Gerard said. “There’s a lot of really awesome places outside of the United States that we don’t get to go to very often … It’s really, really cool that I have that opportunity, and we’re going to take advantage of it.”
He’s certainly taking advantage of it. Gerard finished birdie-eagle to cap off a bogey-free, 7-under 65 in Friday’s second round at Wentworth Club, moving to 12 under for the tournament and taking a two-shot lead into the weekend.
Explore how to live where you love to play Access community guides, golf real estate insights, trusted agent connections, and content built for passionate golfers.
“A really, really solid day of golf,” Gerard said. “Conditions at times were pretty difficult with the wind picking up. Wentworth is not easy, with some of these pin locations they like to stick us with during the tournament. You’ve just got to be really patient, pick your spots … We did a really good job all day of hitting to the right spots.”
Speaking of American players who could argue they were snubbed out of a spot on the Presidents Cup team, 2025 U.S. Open champion and three-time PGA Tour winner J.J. Spaun also finds himself in the mix at Wentworth, sitting at 8 under and in a tie for sixth after 36 holes.
“It was disappointing to be left off [the Presidents Cup team],” Spaun said Friday. “I mean, I wasn’t really expecting it, to be honest … I kind of hung my hat on my experience with the Ryder Cup last year. Made it to the Tour Championship this year. I won in San Antonio. I kind of did everything I could. I was the odd man out.”
But just like Gerard, Spaun didn’t sulk. He got right back in the saddle.
“I wanted to continue to play golf, whether it was going to be here or at the Presidents Cup in Medinah,” Spaun said. “I always had this circled, if I didn’t get in Medinah. I’m here and I’m just doing what I do, play golf, and do the best that I can.”
Gerard and Spaun have the chance to join Billy Horschel and Arnold Palmer as the only Americans to ever win the BMW PGA, but to do so, they’ll have to hold off a slew of talented players and seasoned veterans.
Australia’s Adam Scott, who will represent the International side next week at the Presidents Cup, is tied for second and will play alongside Gerard in the final pairing Saturday. Plus, three of the four major winners in 2026 are firmly in contention. PGA Champion Aaron Rai is T-4 at 9-under, while Open Champion Ryan Fox is part of a five-way tie for sixth that also includes back-to-back Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
Like Gerard, McIlroy was part of the afternoon wave Friday that had to fight blustery conditions, but he still managed to post a 5-under 67 to follow up his 69 in the opening round. He’s looking to win the BMW PGA for the second time in his career.
“[Gerard] has played great, obviously,” McIlroy said. “I feel like our side of the draw I think got some of the worst of the conditions … But four behind isn’t too much going into the weekend and I’m excited for the opportunity.”
On the other end of the leaderboard, there was some drama involving some fan-favorite Englishmen playing in front of a home crowd. Alex Fitzpatrick stepped up to the 16th tee at 1 over for the tournament, well outside the 2-under cutline. He birdied Nos. 16 and 17, but found himself needing to hole a pitch shot for birdie at the par-5 18th to earn a spot on Saturday’s tee sheet. He did exactly that, much to the delight of the gallery.
Justin Rose, meanwhile, bounced back from a disappointing 73 on Thursday with a 67 on Friday, finishing the second round 3 under and advancing to the weekend. His countryman Tommy Fleetwood (3 over) didn’t meet such a fate, nor did American Brooks Koepka (1 over).
And then there was Spanish superstar Jon Rahm, who turned in one of the worst performances of his entire pro career, making 10 bogeys and a pair of double bogeys over 36 holes. He finished 11 over, dead last on the leaderboard among those who actually finished the second round.
There have been six withdrawals at Wentworth this week, including Patrick Reed, who leads the DP World Tour’s season-long standings but pulled out of the BMW PGA on Friday, citing an injury.
Nick Stavas is a digital producer and commerce writer for Golfweek. Follow him on X/Twitter (@nickstavas).