📰 Continuing coverage: McIlroy, Rahm chasing as Smalley grabs shock lead in bunched major

Alex Smalley carded a 68 on Saturday to stretch his lead to six strokes at the 2024 PGA Championship. The 30-year-old American, playing in just his second major, now stands at six-under for the tournament heading into Sunday’s final round at Aronimink Golf Club. Smalley’s round included four birdies and no bogeys, extending his solo lead over the chasing pack that includes Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Ludvig Åberg.

The defending champion’s position looked shaky midway through the day when he trailed by two shots after 12 holes. But a run of four birdies in five holes from the 13th onward stabilized his round and pushed him clear of the field. His biggest challenge Sunday will be managing the pressure of a major championship lead for the first time in his career. Smalley has never finished higher than 12th in a PGA Tour event before this week.

McIlroy, Rahm and Åberg still have a shot

Rory McIlroy sits two shots back at four-under after a 69 on Saturday that included a crucial eagle at the par-5 15th. The 2016 PGA Champion has now made the weekend cut in all 27 majors he’s played, but hasn’t won since the 2023 CJ Cup. McIlroy’s putting has been inconsistent this week, but his ball-striking remains among the best in the field. A final round 66 would tie him for the lead, something he’s done in six of his last 10 majors.

Jon Rahm, playing his first tournament since April’s Masters, sits three back at three-under after a 70 on Saturday. The 2021 U.S. Open champion has struggled with his driver this week, hitting just 50% of fairways on Friday and Saturday. But his irons and putting have been sharp, and he’s shown in the past he can grind out a major with imperfect ball-striking. A final round 65 would put him in a playoff.

Ludvig Åberg, the 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, is four shots back at two-under after a 71 on Saturday. The 24-year-old Swede has been the most consistent player in the chasing group, with 13 pars or better in his last 16 holes. Åberg’s biggest weapon is his length off the tee, where he ranks second in the field this week. He needs to find more greens in regulation Sunday to have a real chance.

Aronimink’s challenges await Sunday

Aronimink Golf Club presents a different challenge each day as the wind picks up and the pin positions get more aggressive. The course has played firm all week, and the rough has grown thicker after recent rains. Players will need to be precise with their approach shots, especially into the par-4s where Smalley has gained the most strokes so far.

The 18th hole, a par-4 that plays over 470 yards, will likely decide the champion. Smalley has hit 87% of fairways this week, but the 18th requires a perfect drive to leave a short iron into the green. McIlroy, Rahm and Åberg all have the power to reach the par-5 16th in two, but that’s also where they lost strokes to Smalley on Saturday when he made birdie and they made pars.

Sunday’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s, with winds gusting up to 15 mph. The conditions should favor the players who’ve been most aggressive with their drivers while still managing risk. The final round starts at 7:00 a.m. ET with Smalley, McIlroy and Rahm in the final three groups. Åberg will tee off in the group ahead at 6:30 a.m. ET.

The PGA Championship has never been won by a first-time major competitor since 1958. Smalley joins an exclusive club of players who’ve led after 54 holes of a major, including Tiger Woods in 2000 and Jordan Spieth in 2015. If he holds on, he’ll become the first American to win the PGA Championship since Brooks Koepka in 2019.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Sky Sports
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 00:22 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #sky-sports · #football · #premier-league · #sports · #golf · #ilroy

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O sonho de erguer o troféu do PGA Championship está mais vivo do que nunca, com três gigantes do golfe mundial — Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm e Ludvig Åberg — correndo atrás do líder Alex Smalley, que mantém uma confortável vantagem de seis tacadas, sob par 6-under, antes da rodada final. A disputa, que promete emoção até o último buraco, coloca o Brasil e os fãs de língua portuguesa de queixo caído, afinal, nenhum brasileiro figura entre os principais nomes em jogo, mas o torneio reacende a discussão sobre o potencial e o futuro do esporte no país.

O PGA Championship, um dos quatro majors do circuito mundial, é sempre um palco de prestígio e tradição, mas esta edição ganha contornos especiais pela presença de Smalley, um nome que, embora não seja uma estrela global, representa a crescente competitividade do golfe norte-americano. Para o Brasil, a notícia reforça a necessidade de investimentos e incentivos para revelar novos talentos, já que o país, apesar de ter nomes como o de Mito Pereira em destaque internacional, ainda busca consolidar sua posição no cenário mundial. A rodada final, marcada para este domingo, será decisiva não apenas para Smalley, mas também para milhões de espectadores que acompanham o torneio, ansiosos por um desfecho surpreendente.

Se o inesperado vencer, o golfe brasileiro pode comemorar não só pela vitória de um desconhecido, mas pela prova de que a paixão pelo esporte pode superar barreiras e inspirar novas gerações.