Tommy Fleetwood enjoys good company as he fires opening 64

Tommy Fleetwood enjoyed the company of two of his closest friends on the DP World Tour as he began the 2022 BMW PGA Championship with a sparkling 64.

The home favourite made a steady start to his first competitive round since The 150th Open Championship in July, firing birdies at the second and fourth to turn in 33.

He then produced a remarkable burst of scoring on the back nine, notching back-to-back gains at the 12th and 13th before closing out with four birdies in a row on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th to set the new clubhouse target at eight under par.

The 31-year-old was playing alongside friends Shane Lowry and Justin Rose at Wentworth Club on day one, and he enjoyed the experience.

He said: "It's nice to be back more than anything. Six weeks off is more like two years, I guess. 

"When you stand on the first tee, you don't know what to expect no matter how well you might have been practising or playing.

"It's just nice coming back. It was a lovely grouping to come back to, best friends on tour. It's nice. I played well.

"It's always better that I played good rather than bad. But yeah, it was just nice to be back."

The Ryder Cup star had to contend with heavy rain at times during the first round but said generally it was a good day for scoring.

He added: "The course played pretty long. There was a score out there, just if you could put the ball in play. 

"Obviously with the course playing so wet, the course played wider and the ball is not bouncing and the greens were receptive and greens rolled amazing.

"A lot of things could add up to a good score but the rough was claggy if you went in it. 

"Although there was pluses and minuses, and it was an awkward day where you're always thinking, putting your umbrella up, taking it off. Overall we did all right weather-wise. It wasn't too bad.

"I wouldn't have liked teeing off at 6.45, when I arrived players going down the first had it rough. But overall it was a good day for scoring."