JJ Spaun Wins BMW PGA Championship After Elvira Double-Bogeys the Final Hole
JJ Spaun has won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, birdying four of his final five holes before Manuel Elvira double-bogeyed the last to hand the American a two-shot victory.
Spaun finished on 17 under par after a closing 67, collecting $1.53 million from the $9 million purse and 1,335 Race to Dubai points on his first appearance at the DP World Tour's flagship event.
A Late Charge From Nowhere
Spaun began the final round one shot off the lead but showed little sign of contending for most of the afternoon. He bogeyed the opening hole, recovered with a birdie at the fourth, then made eight consecutive pars as a crowded leaderboard shifted around him.
Standing on the 14th tee he appeared out of the running. He then put his tee shot close at the 14th and holed putts from 14 and 16 feet to complete a run of three straight birdies, before adding another at the 18th to set the clubhouse target.
That still left the title in doubt. Elvira, the Spaniard ranked 294th in the world, eagled the par-five 17th to draw level and needed only a birdie at the last to win his first DP World Tour title.
He laid up off the tee, found a fairway bunker with his second and made seven. Elvira signed for a 70 to finish in a share of second.
A Crowded Runner-Up Spot
Elvira shared second place with Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Aaron Rai, the reigning PGA champion. Matt Fitzpatrick, Ryan Fox, Joost Luiten and Filippo Celli finished a further shot back.
McIlroy threatened on the back nine. He found trouble at the 12th before producing a recovery shot around a cluster of trees to make birdie, then added further birdies at the 14th and 17th. He could not convert at the last, finding a fairway bunker and missing his birdie putt.
"I wish I had some of those putts back," McIlroy said. "But I have to be encouraged with where my game is at. Hit the ball really well. Hit the best I hit it during the course of the week."
The result keeps McIlroy in contention in the Race to Dubai. Leader Patrick Reed withdrew from the tournament with a hand injury.
A Point to Prove
The win carries an obvious subplot. Spaun was left out of Brandt Snedeker's United States team for the Presidents Cup, which begins this week at Medinah, and said afterwards he had arrived at Wentworth with something to prove.
It is his second DP World Tour title, following his victory at the 2025 US Open at Oakmont. He becomes only the third American to win the BMW PGA Championship after Arnold Palmer and Billy Horschel, and the first player to win it on debut since Byeong Hun An in 2015.
The DP World Tour moves to the Open de France next week.
