The 108th PGA Championship is heading towards one of the most dramatic Sunday finishes in recent major history, with German Matti Schmid seizing the outright lead at six under par through six holes of the final round at Aronimink, while Jon Rahm has birdied two of his first two holes to muscle himself into contention and Rory McIlroy is scrambling to stay in touch.
Schmid, 28, who entered the week ranked 82nd in the world, reached the top of the leaderboard for the first time after a birdie at the sixth completed a run of three gains in five holes. Overnight leader Alex Smalley, who began the day two shots clear of the field, has already made a double bogey to fall back into a tie, handing the initiative to the chasing pack in exactly the chaotic fashion the leaderboard had promised.
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Rahm on a mission
Of the contenders coming from behind, Jon Rahm has made the most aggressive early statement. The Spaniard, who began the day at four under and in a share of second, birdied both the first and second holes to pull alongside Schmid at six under.
Rahm has spoken publicly this week about the uncertainty surrounding his future following the announcement that LIV Golf’s Saudi backers will not fund the circuit beyond this season. If he is looking for motivation, the Wanamaker Trophy would settle the matter considerably.
Two birdies in two holes, and the Ryder Cup star looks every inch the threat he has been for the better part of a decade in major championships.
Smalley wobbles under pressure
The story of the morning is the overnight leader’s stumble. Alex Smalley, the 29-year-old who has never won on the PGA Tour and had never previously finished better than tied 23rd at a major, held a two-shot lead at six under as the final pairing teed off. He has already given ground with a double bogey, but did drain a brilliant 26-foot par save on the third to limit the damage and keep himself in the group at the top.
The question of whether Smalley’s nerve could hold at the business end of a major championship was always the central plotline of the final round. He has not yet collapsed, but the margin that would have afforded him breathing room has evaporated.
Thomas in the clubhouse
Justin Thomas finished his round in the morning wave and is in the clubhouse at five under par after back-to-back birdies on the inward stretch saved what threatened to be a disappointing Sunday.
At five under, Thomas is very much in the conversation. He knows better than most how a bunched Sunday leaderboard at a major can deliver a trophy to someone who got round the course early and waited.
Aaron Rai, the dual-gloved Englishman who has been one of the week’s most compelling personalities, birdied the first to move to five under and momentarily into solo second. He sits alongside Thomas, Ludvig Aberg and Cameron Smith, who has been birdying at pace and completed a bogey-free front nine.
McIlroy needing a fast start
Rory McIlroy, playing in the final group alongside Schauffele, began his round with a scrappy par save on the first and sits at three under, three shots off Schmid’s lead at the time of writing.
Chasing a Masters-PGA double not achieved since Jack Nicklaus in 1975, McIlroy needs a fast start on a course that will not yield birdies easily as the afternoon pressure builds.
Scheffler, the defending champion, made bogey at the 14th to fall back to two under and is effectively out of the picture. There will be no repeat this week.
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