Alex Smalley leads PGA at 6-under

Alex Smalley will start Sunday with the lead at the PGA Championship after a 2-under-par 68 on Saturday moved him to 6-under for the week at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. The 29-year-old American is two shots clear going into the final round of the year’s second major, with Matti Schmid, Jon Rahm, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor and Ludvig Åberg among the players at 4-under. Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed were another shot back at 3-under after 54 holes, leaving a tightly packed leaderboard for Sunday. The PGA Championship’s official site lists the event at Aronimink from May 11-17, 2026, and the final round was underway Sunday. ### How did Smalley get there? Smalley recovered from a shaky start on Saturday after opening with three bogeys before rallying on the back nine. NBC Sports reported that he finished with a 68 and made five birdies against one bogey on the inward half, becoming the only player in the field to post all three rounds under par through 54 holes. (nbcsports.com) “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 the round, according to NBC Sports. He said he tried to “regain my tempo and rhythm” and “play smart” after the early mistakes. (nbcsports.com) ### Who is chasing him on Sunday? Jon Rahm, Aaron Rai, Matti Schmid, Nick Taylor and Ludvig Åberg began Sunday tied for second at 4-under, according to the Round 4 pairings published by CBS Sports. McIlroy, Schauffele and Reed were listed at 3-under, with the leaderboard close enough that multiple major champions remained in range entering the last day. (nbcsports.com) Matti Schmid is also Smalley’s playing partner in the final group after a 5-under 65 on Saturday, NBC Sports reported. Smalley told NBC Sports that he and Schmid are “good buddies” and said they had played together previously at the 2024 Zurich Classic. ### What does Smalley’s position say about his week? (cbssports.com) Smalley entered the final round without a PGA Tour victory and without a major title, NBC Sports reported. The same report said he is ranked 78th in the world and had not finished worse than tied for 21st in his previous five starts. (nbcsports.com) The PGA Tour’s tournament page described Saturday’s situation as “a PGA Championship up for grabs,” reflecting how many players remained close to the lead at Aronimink. CBS Sports said 22 players were within four shots after 54 holes, underscoring how little margin Smalley carried into Sunday. (nbcsports.com) ### When do the contenders tee off? Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid were scheduled to tee off at 2:35 p.m. ET in the final pairing on Sunday, according to CBS Sports’ Round 4 schedule. Rahm and Nick Taylor were set for 2:25 p.m., while Åberg and Rai were scheduled for 2:15 p.m. (pgatour.com) Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele were listed in a 2:05 p.m. pairing, giving them a half-hour head start on the leaders. Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, was scheduled to go out 2.5 hours before the final pairing, CBS Sports reported. ### What happens if nobody separates over 72 holes? (cbssports.com) The PGA Championship will use a three-hole aggregate playoff if players are tied after 72 holes, CBS Sports reported in its Sunday schedule preview. The playoff holes are Nos. 10, 17 and 18 at Aronimink. (cbssports.com) Sunday’s final round was set to decide the Wanamaker Trophy later on May 17, with Smalley trying to convert his first 54-hole lead in a major and Rahm, McIlroy, Schauffele and others still within reach at Aronimink. (cbssports.com)