After a disappointing first round on Thursday, Shane Lowry bounced back into BMW PGA Championship contention yesterday with a five-under-par 67 at Wentworth that leaves him the best of the Irish heading into the weekend.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari recovered from a poor start to retain the lead on the second day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Friday.

“Physically I am all right, but mentally I could feel myself getting a little angry out there.”

As if his Quail Hollow rampage was not enough of a warning shot to his rivals, Rory McIlroy goes into today’s BMW PGA Championship having admitted he would be disappointed not to win a major this summer.

Pádraig Harrington was optimistic he would be fit enough to play in today’s opening round of the BMW PGA Championship and insisted a shoulder injury would not prevent him teeing up at next week’s Irish Open.

The teeth have been ungritted, the mind opened to fresh thoughts and the mood modified to optimistic but whatever Graeme McDowell tries to get the better of Wentworth’s West Course, the Irishman admits he has something of a Marmite relationship with the place.

One Direction’s Niall Horan is back on the golf course with Rory McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy has revealed how a return to golf helped him overcome the emotional heartbreak of his split from fiancée Caroline Wozniacki.