Rory McIlroy's season of almosts could turn a new page this weekend at the 2024 BMW PGA Championship. Following up a 5-under 67 in Round 1 with a 68 on Friday, the world No. 3 sits in a share of fourth place at 9 under and four off the pace of 36-hole leader Matthew Baldwin.

The Korn Ferry Tour Playoffs continue with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio. This is the penultimate event of the playoffs, with the top 75 advancing to next week’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship at French Lick Golf Resort’s Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Ind.

Rory McIlroy once threw his 3-wood in frustration at the 2016 British Open at Royal Troon and broke it, and there was that time at the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral when he angrily threw his club in the lake on the eighth hole, but the club damage that happened on Thursday during the DP World Tour’s BMW Championship was not his fault.

From Ireland to England, another great performance by Matteo Manassero. The Italian golfer at Virginia Water, in Surrey, closed the first round of the BMW PGA Championship in 4th place with a score of 67 (-5) alongside, among others, Major champions such as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.

On Friday, the No. 363-ranked journeyman from England was the second-round leader by two strokes at the flagship event on the European Tour and preparing himself for the biggest weekend of his career.