Wallace leads PGA Championship, McIlroy struggles to 76

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace in action during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

LONDON (Reuters) - England's Matt Wallace carded a blemish-free seven-under par 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday.

Wallace set the clubhouse target with five birdies and an eagle on the par-five fourth to lead Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Spain's Jon Rahm who both signed for 66 in the European Tour's flagship event at Wentworth, Surrey.

"This is the tour's biggest event and my home event now," Wallace, ranked 26th in the world, said. "I've played the course plenty of times before coming into this week and I feel comfortable.

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in action during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

"It always helps when your game's in shape as well. I played the first seven or eight holes as good as I possibly could and showed my all‑round game by grinding out the last few holes."

Four-times major champion Rory McIlroy started brightly and looked set to take the lead but the world number two struggled on the back nine to finish with a four-over 76.

After sinking an eagle on the fourth hole and a birdie on the fifth to go three under, the Northern Irishman made six bogeys and a double bogey on the par-five 17th to finish 11 strokes behind Wallace and in danger of missing the cut.

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy plays out of a bunker during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

British Open champion Shane Lowry did not fare too well either, striking only two birdies which were offset by two bogeys to finish at level-par.

England's Justin Rose, the world number four and former U.S. Open champion, was in fourth place, two shots behind Wallace.

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace celebrates his birdie on the 17th during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy plays a bunker shot during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace in action during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in action during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace talks with his caddie during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace celebrates his birdie on the 17th during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace celebrates his par on the 18th during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace lines up a putt during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England cricketer's Stuart Broad and James Anderson watch England's Matt Wallace during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Golf - European Tour - BMW PGA Championship - Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Britain - September 19, 2019 England's Matt Wallace during the first round Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs