Rory McIlroy misses cut at the BMW PGA Championship after a second round 78

Rory McIlroy will not have the chance to retain the BMW PGA Championship title he won for the first time in 2014 as he was eliminated from the high-profile European Tour event after carding a disappointing second round 78 at Wentworth.

Having admitted he felt himself becoming frustrated at times following a relatively average one-under-par 71 on the opening day of action in Surrey, the world number one missed the cut altogether on 22 May after finishing six over and comfortably behind leader Francesco Molinari.

"I'm not going to read too much into it," four-time major winner McIlroy said after a setback which will likely be put down to fatigue in light of the 26-year-old's recent heavy schedule.

"It was inevitable at some point the run was going to come to a bit of an end. I am back to my usual at Wentworth. It was not great before last year and it has not been great this year.

"I would much rather be here for the weekend but if any good comes of this I have a couple of days over the weekend to refresh myself and I will be OK for next week."

After finishing fourth at the Masters in Augusta in April, McIlroy was victorious in the WGC Cadillac Match Play on 3 May after confidently dismissing the challenge of Gary Woodland.

The Northern Irishman then followed up an eighth-place finish at the Players Championship with a truly dominant win at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he sealed the 11th PGA Tour win of his career with a record-breaking tournament score of 267.

He will not have long to dwell on this rare disappointment, though, as he prepares to host and compete in the Irish Open at Royal County Down later in May.

The second major of the year, the US Open, is scheduled to start on 18 June at Chambers Bay in Washington.