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World number two Rory McIlroy and defending champion Luke Donald missed the cut at the PGA Championship in cold, wet conditions at Wentworth.

Donald, seeking a third successive PGA title, started at six-over and dropped three shots in his first three holes before ending on plus six after a 72.

World number two McIlroy finished five-over after a 75 and Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter also failed to qualify.

Francesco Molinari leads by one shot at six under after seven birdies in a 68.

Lee Westwood is three shots off the pace with a one-under-par 71.

Westwood dropped shots at the first two holes but birdied two of the three par-fives on the back nine, and was joined at minus three by Open champion Ernie Els, who masterminded the

The 43-year-old South African, winner of seven Match Play titles at Wentworth but never this event, carded seven birdies and four bogeys in an eventful 69.

McIlroy, who was three-under after 12 holes in the opening round before dropping shots at five of the last six holes, mixed five bogeys and three birdies on the front nine in round two.

The 24-year-old has had an inconsistent start to the year, missing the cut in his first tournament in Abu Dhabi, losing his opening match at the WGC Match Play and walking off the course midway through the Honda Classic citing wisdom tooth pain.

His recent form has been more encouraging, with four top-10 finishes in his last six events on the PGA Tour in the United States, including a second place at the Texas Open last month.

But he drove out of bounds to double bogey the 17th, before closing with a birdie.

"It was tough to really make any ground," said the Northern Irishman. "It was a grind and I didn't play particularly well, I didn't give myself many chances."

Donald, who has had two top-four finishes in six events on the US PGA Tour this season, said: "When I missed fairways, I missed the green and then I wasn't getting up and down."

The former world number one, now ranked sixth, added: "My problems were just kind of compounding.

"Not one part of my game is really firing at the moment.

"It's not like I am a million miles away. It's about doing the things Luke Donald usually does well - being tidy around the greens and making the putts when I need to.

"I'm not too worried. It's never nice to miss the cut here, a place I've played well, but failure is a much bigger motivation for me than successes."

There was better news for another Ryder Cup player, Justin Rose, who got up and down from a greenside bunker to birdie the last and finish with a 74 for a two-over halfway total.

The last two European Ryder Cup captains, Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, plus the next one Paul McGinley, also qualified for the weekend on two-over.

The cut for the final two rounds is projected to fall at two-over 146.

Watch highlights of rounds three and four on Saturday and Sunday from 18:00 BST on ���˿��� Two