Matt Baldwin tied the BMW PGA Championship record and secured a two-shot lead at Wentworth Club in Surrey. With his impressive rounds of 65 and 66, Baldwin sits atop the leaderboard with a total score of 13 under par, equaling the tournament record first set by Paul McGinley in 2008.
After a challenging journey, which saw Baldwin working as a delivery driver for Amazon only three years ago, his resurgence in professional golf is inspiring.
“I had three or four months working at Amazon driving a van, just to see me through the winter before the Challenge Tour started in 2022,” Baldwin shared via BBC Sport. This period away from golf allowed him to reflect on his motivations.
“I learned a lot from that. I learned that there are other things that I could do in life, but I also learned that I really wanted to play golf.”
The second round of the championship also featured impressive performances from other players. Danish golfer Niklas Norgaard trails Baldwin by two strokes with a score of 11 under par, while Frenchman Antoine Rozner stands at 10 under par, securing the third spot on the leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy, battling a recent downturn after a close loss at the Irish Open, has shown remarkable resilience. McIlroy, now tied for fourth at nine under par after adding a 68 to his initial 67, admitted that despite the challenge, he’s enjoyed playing:
“It’s really important [to play well] but also it’s nice. I wouldn’t have liked the week off to just wallow in self-pity if I hadn’t played,” McIlroy said. “To come back out and get straight back on the golf course, and play a couple of solid rounds to give myself a chance at another really big tournament, means a lot to me, I thought it was important to do that and thankfully I have.”
Play was momentarily halted for 77 minutes due to lightning threats, a suspension triggered just after Baldwin made a remarkable 25-foot par putt on the 16th hole. Despite the interruption, Baldwin maintained his composure and cemented his lead post-resumption of play.
The top of the leaderboard also boasts familiar names such as Italy’s Matteo Manassero and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, both tied at nine under par, alongside American Billy Horschel and a contingent of British golfers, including Tommy Fleetwood, Harry Hall, and Robert MacIntyre, who remain within striking distance.
Both Fleetwood and Baldwin players rose through the ranks together, competing in junior tournaments and graduating from the Challenge Tour in the same year. Reflecting on their shared past, Baldwin said:
“I don’t think we ever lost. We played a lot of golf growing up, graduated the same year from Challenge Tour and obviously played a little bit out here. Our paths have gone slightly different but hopefully I can catch him up.”
As the tournament continues, Baldwin’s lead positions him favorably for a potential win, a feat that would mark a big milestone in his career.
