Alex Smalley will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the 108th PGA Championship after a dramatic Saturday at Aronimink Golf Club, where 22 players finished within four shots of the lead in one of the most crowded leaderboards in tournament history.
Smalley closed his third round with a birdie on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 68 to reach 6 under overall. The 29-year-old American rebounded after opening with three bogeys in his first four holes and now sits ahead of a packed chasing group that includes Jon Rahm, Ludvig Åberg, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed.
The PGA Championship has turned into what Schauffele called an “absolute free-for-all,” with shifting winds and difficult Donald Ross greens at Aronimink creating constant leaderboard movement throughout Saturday. Smalley acknowledged the changing conditions after his round.
“I had watched the coverage this morning … saw a lot of birdies being made,” Smalley said. “Then by the time that I teed off, the wind had picked up, and it became very difficult to hit a fairway, hit a green, even make a 3- or 4-footer.”
Alex Smalley Shares Wanamaker Trophy Connection Before Final Round
GettyAlex Smalley of the United States
As Smalley prepares for the biggest round of his professional career, he also revealed a personal connection to the PGA Championship’s iconic trophy.
Smalley, who graduated from Duke in 2019, said he once stayed in the Wanamaker dormitory while attending the university. The Wanamaker Trophy, awarded to the PGA Championship winner, shares the same name.
According to Brody Miller of The Athletic, “Alex Smalley says he stayed in the Wanamaker dormitory in college at Duke, so he and his family always joked that the PGA Championship — whose trophy shares the name of that dorm — would be the major he might win some day. ”
Now, Smalley enters Sunday leading a major championship for the first time. He has never won a professional tournament and has made only five career major starts.
His previous best major finish came at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, where he tied for 23rd. He also tied for 28th at last year’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Saturday’s round showed both sides of Smalley’s game. After the difficult opening stretch, he steadied himself with five birdies across his final 10 holes, including the closing birdie putt at 18 that restored his two-shot advantage.
“It’s going to be hot,” Smalley said of Sunday’s conditions. “It’s going to be sunny. There’s not going to be a whole lot of moisture on the golf course. … The hole locations are probably going to be difficult as well.”
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm Headline Crowded PGA Championship Chase
GettyAlex Smalley’s family always joked that the PGA Championship, which shares the name of that dorm, would be the major he might win someday.
GettyJon Rahm of Spain and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland
The leaderboard behind Smalley remains tightly packed heading into the final round.
Rahm, Ludvig Åberg, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor, and Matti Schmid are tied for second at 4 under. McIlroy, Schauffele, Patrick Reed, and Maverick McNealy are another shot back at 3 under.
McIlroy continued his climb after opening the tournament with a 4-over 74. The reigning Masters champion followed with rounds of 67 and 66 to move into contention.
“I feel like I still did enough to think I have a chance going into tomorrow,” McIlroy said after his third round.
The Northern Irishman also referenced his comeback at last year’s Masters.
“I thought back to last year’s Masters. I was seven back after the first day, and I was two ahead going into the final day,” McIlroy said. “So, there’s a lot of golf and a lot of things can happen during the course of a golf tournament.”
Rahm also praised the challenge presented by Aronimink’s greens and hole locations.
“They found some incredible hard pin locations out there,” Rahm said. “Usually being in the middle is a safe haven. This week you need to think about where you’re going to leave the ball because the middle isn’t always the best option.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits five shots behind at 1 under after a third-round 71. Scheffler said the leaderboard remains impossible to predict entering Sunday.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Scheffler said. “Going into tomorrow, it’s quite literally anybody’s tournament.”
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