The 2026 PGA Championship has proven to be an exceptional challenge for golf’s best and brightest.
Sunday at Aronimink Golf Club is shaping up to be no different.
Leading the charge is Alex Smalley, who is relatively unknown compared to some of the other names occupying the top 10 of the leaderboard. Smalley has never won a major championship – or on the PGA Tour, for that matter – and is ranked 78th in the world.
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The 29-year-old from Rochester, New York has a two stroke solo lead at 6 under despite starting Saturday with three bogeys.
“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 three- or four-footer,” Smalley said after his round of 68. “…I just try to keep putting one foot in front of the other and just tried to regain my tempo and rhythm in my golf swing because, when that gets off some, I can start hitting it a little wayward… Just tried to play smart and was able to get some back on the back nine.”
While the back nine has played far more difficult, statistically, than the front, it was where Smalley dialed his round in and got things back on track, making five birdies to just one bogey. By the end of the day, he was the only player to shoot all three rounds under par.
At times, it looked like Smalley might once again share the lead like he did through the first two rounds, but he was able to put a little distance between himself and a star-studded group that is chasing him — that could prove to be the difference in him hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy.
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A little comfort and confidence could be key on Sunday, and Smalley seems to have those in his pocket.
For one, the Duke grad has been playing well in recent weeks, not finishing lower than T-21 in his past five starts, so the increased attention and camera crews following him isn’t something new he has to get used to.
“I don’t want to toot my own horn or anything, and I mean this in the nicest way possible… I’ve been fortunate enough to play well the last few weeks to where that’s starting to become a norm — if you want to call it that,” Smalley admitted Saturday.
Then there’s his final round playing partner: Germany’s Matti Schmid.
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Schmid is T-2 at 4 under after having one of the rounds of the day on Saturday with a 5-under 65 (Aronimink is a par 70). Him and Smalley were partners at the 2024 Zurich Classic.
“We’re good buddies,” Smalley said of Schmid. “We’re familiar with each other. So I think that will kind of help both of us tomorrow as well. I’m looking forward to that.”
The other thing on Smalley’s side? History.
Recent history — as in the past two days — suggests Smalley is capable of tackling a tough Aronimink, and the course is expected to play more difficult on Sunday — similar to Thursday and Friday — based on hole locations. It’s also forecasted to be the hottest day of the week, plus some light winds.
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PGA Championship history shows this is the tournament for first-time major winners to breakthrough, with the last first-time major winner at the PGA being Collin Morikawa in 2020. A 54-hole lead is also a good omen, as the eventual winner of four of the past five PGA Championships has held the lead, either tied or outright, at the end of the third round.
We could also see the first PGA playoff since 2022, when Justin Thomas rallied from seven strokes back to beat Will Zalatoris in a playoff at Southern Hills.
There are currently 47 players within seven shots of Smalley’s lead, including Jon Rahm (-4), Rory McIlroy (-3), Xander Schauffele (-3), Patrick Reed (-3), Justin Rose (-2), Brooks Koepka (-1), Scottie Scheffler (-1), Justin Thomas (E), and Jordan Spieth (+1).
As with anything in life, maybe there’s a little luck involved, but it feels like serendipity that Smalley lived in Duke’s Wanamaker dorm for three years in college.
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“My parents and I have been joking that maybe this would be a tournament that I would win just because of that kind of fact.”
Sunday could be the day it happens, changing Smalley’s life forever.
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