A New Hope for Alex Smalley at the US PGA Championship
Alex Smalley is set to make a bold statement as he aims to challenge Rory McIlroy and the rest of the field at the US PGA Championship. The American golfer managed to birdie four of the last six holes, securing a two-shot lead over the competition at Aronimink Golf Club. This performance has placed him in a prime position to potentially pull off an upset.
The leaderboard is packed with high-profile names, including Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg, who are all vying for the top spot. McIlroy, a six-time major champion, is just one shot behind Smalley, alongside other notable players like Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed. However, the story of the tournament so far has been one of underdogs, and Philadelphia, known for its iconic Rocky Balboa narrative, is certainly embracing that theme.
Smalley, a 29-year-old golfer making his fifth major championship appearance, hasn’t yet claimed a PGA Tour victory. Despite this, he has become the focus of attention after holding the overnight lead. His journey wasn’t smooth, as he bogeyed three of his first four holes on Saturday, which seemed to signal the end of his chances. However, he made a remarkable comeback, securing a birdie on the final hole to reach six under par. This result places him at the forefront of the competition, with a staggering 21 players within four shots of his lead.
“Anybody who wants to play golf for a living dreams of winning on the PGA Tour when they’re younger,” Smalley said. “I recognize that I have an opportunity to do that tomorrow. I recognize that it’s on a stage that’s a little bit larger than most other tour events. I’m trying to downplay that as much as I possibly can just to make it seem like any other golf tournament.”
The competition has been intense throughout the first three days, with low-scoring proving difficult for many players. Before Smalley’s impressive performance, no one had managed to pull ahead significantly. McIlroy, aiming to win back-to-back majors and secure his seventh overall, made a strong comeback by shooting a 66, bringing him one shot behind the leader.
Jon Rahm joined the five-player group at four under par, alongside England’s Aaron Rai, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, Canada’s Nick Taylor, and Germany’s Matti Schmid. As he concluded his media interviews, Rahm looked at the leaderboard and questioned if anyone had ever seen such a tight race.
“As hard as it is to play, the challenge can also be kind of fun if you do well,” Rahm remarked about the course. “That’s probably the reason why the leaderboard is so bunched up and it’s going to be such a good Sunday tomorrow. So in that sense, showmanship-wise, they’ve done a great job.”
Justin Rose made a strong return to the tournament, matching the best round of the week with a 65, and will start Sunday four shots off the lead. Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, struggled with a one-over round of 71.
“Going into tomorrow, it’s quite literally anybody’s tournament,” Scheffler said. “There’s a lot of guys that have a chance. Somebody is going to have a great round, and I’m going to make sure to do my best to give myself the best shot at being the one who has a great round.”
Selected Round Four Tee Times
- 5:05pm (all times BST) – Scottie Scheffler and David Puig
- 6:25pm – Justin Rose and Joaquin Niemann
- 7:05pm – Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele
- 7:15pm – Aaron Rai and Ludvig Aberg
- 7:25pm – Nick Taylor and Jon Rahm
- 7:35pm – Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid
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