Daniel Hillier hits a tee shot during the third round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 16, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Photo: AFP
Alex Smalley birdied the final hole to seize a two-shot lead after the third round of the PGA Championship, with Scottie Scheffler saying the tightly packed leaderboard at Aronimink near Philadelphia was unlike anything he had seen before.
Smalley recovered from a shaky start to card a two-under-par 68 and move to six under overall, with 43 players – including New Zealander Daniel Hillier – within six shots of the lead before Monday’s NZT final round.
Defending champion Scheffler remained a serious threat despite a frustrating one-over 71 that left him at one under.
“Going into tomorrow, it’s quite literally anybody’s tournament,” Scheffler told reporters. “I’ve never seen a leaderboard like this, this bunched up.”
The world number one Scheffler struggled on the greens throughout the day, missing six putts from inside 10 feet despite ranking among the field leaders off the tee and on approach.
Hillier, playing in his first PGA Championship, is one stroke further back, after a round of 70 left him on even par and in 31st equal place. Compatriot Ryan Fox struck a two over par 72, to leave him two over and in a tie for 48th.
Rory McIlroy was among the biggest movers on “moving day”, firing a four-under 66 to surge back into the picture at three under as the Masters champion continued his bid for back-to-back major titles.
The golfer from Northern Ireland, who opened the tournament with a 74 after beginning Friday with four consecutive bogeys, looked far more comfortable following widespread criticism of Saturday’s severe setup at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.
PGA Championship third round leader Alex Smalley plays his tee shot on the 17th hole at Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown, Pennsylvania, 16 May, 2026.
Photo: AFP
McIlroy mixed six birdies with two bogeys to sit three shots behind Smalley, while Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor and Matti Schmid formed the closest chasing group at four under.
Rahm carded a 67 and later said his game felt as good as it had at any stage since his 2021 US Open-winning season. Aberg posted a 68 to continue his pursuit of a first major title, while Rai stayed in the hunt despite a closing bogey after another precise ball-striking display.
Xander Schauffele, who carded a 66 to reach three under, and Patrick Reed at two under also remained within striking distance, while major champions Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose and Cameron Smith stayed firmly in the mix heading into Monday.
Softer conditions initially brought lower scoring on Sunday, but stronger afternoon gusts again exposed Aronimink’s difficulty, leaving dozens of players in contention for what promises to be an unpredictable final-round shootout.
Ko in contention in Ohio
Meanwhile, Dame Lydia Ko is also in contention for another title, as she heads into the final round of the Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio.
Ko is in fourth place, five strokes behind leader Lottie Woad of England, after a one-under 69 third round.
Ko, who has won 23 LPGA titles, is eighth in this season’s standings.
– Reuters, with additional reporting from RNZ.