Matthew Baldwin produced a flawless seven under par round of 65 to lead the BMW PGA Championship by one shot at Wentworth Club.

The Englishman may have started the day under the radar at the third Rolex Series tournament of the 2024 DP World Tour season, but the 38-year-old managed to keep his card clean and held his nerve to roll in his seventh birdie at the last to take the outright lead.

“It was lovely,” said the man from Southport. “I feel like my game is pretty strong for a while, and to actually put it into a performance is nice, a nice positive.”

It is Baldwin’s first round one lead since the 2018 season as he sits one clear of Denmark’s Niklas Nørgaard and Belgian Thomas Detry.

The Dane had set the daunting clubhouse target of six under after mixing seven gains and one dropped shot as he continued his love affair with English golf courses. The 32-year-old claimed his maiden DP World Tour title at the Betfred British Masters earlier this month and maintained his recent fine form in Surrey.

Read More: Rory McIlroy was in disbelief after clubhead snaps off during (fantastic) golf shot

Eleven players were at five under for the day, including four-time Major Champion Rory McIlroy, Rolex Series winner Victor Perez, Ryder Cup stars Robert MacIntyre and Shane Lowry and former winners Billy Horschel and Matteo Manassero.

Defending champion Ryan Fox battled to one under, while Germany’s Hurly Long recorded the 26th hole-in-one of the season when he aced the 197-yard fifth hole with a seven iron.

Main Image: Getty Images