Aaron Rai showcased his talent on day one of the PGA Championship at Wentworth, shooting an impressive 66, which put him three strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy. While McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, managed to shoot a respectable 60 in a pro-am event, he downplayed its significance, emphasizing that exceptional rounds are best saved for competitive play.

Rai admitted to feeling nervous about playing alongside McIlroy, describing the experience as amazing, especially since he had watched the event as a junior. He expressed his relief at quickly settling into his game, stating, "I felt really nervous... I'm just really pleased that I got into the round pretty fast and that I continued to play well."

As the round progressed, Rai’s score tied him for the early lead with Joakim Lagergren, while Ryan Gerard and Adam Scott were at the top with lower scores. McIlroy, who has been making technical adjustments to his swing, reflected on his performance, noting that it looked better on the range than on the course. He finished the day at minus three after a promising start of five under in his first ten holes.

In the context of the DP World Tour’s season-long order of merit, Patrick Reed shot a 68, aiming to keep McIlroy from claiming a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title. Reed remarked on the competitive nature of facing McIlroy, stating, "To have the opportunity to take him on throughout the whole rest of the year is going to be fun."

The first day at Wentworth proved to be an exhilarating start to the championship, with Rai emerging as a standout performer.