The PGA Championship at Aronimink delivered another dramatic day of golf on Friday, as a punishing morning gave way to a more forgiving afternoon—and the leaderboard is now packed with both fresh faces and proven champions.
The morning round was a battle. After Thursday's leader sat at 3-under, the course fought back hard Friday morning. Scottie Scheffler summed it up bluntly, calling the pin placements "absurd." A stiff wind, lightning-fast greens, and treacherous flags kept scores high. When Scheffler walked off the course midway through the round, the lead was still stuck at 3-under. Aronimink was winning the war.
But then the wind died down, and the afternoon wave brought the scoring. Alex Smalley struck first, posting 4-under early in the afternoon, only for Maverick McNealy to match him later. Both briefly held two-stroke leads before giving them back as the course demanded respect until the final putt.
Neither Smalley nor McNealy is a household name—yet. Smalley has just four major starts, with a best finish of T23 at the 2023 PGA Championship. But he's been heating up, notching five straight top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour. McNealy's story is similar: 13 major starts, a T23 at the 2024 PGA Championship, and a T18 at this year's Masters. For both, this is the first time they've sat near the top of a major leaderboard at the halfway point. Welcome to the big stage.
They're not alone near the top. Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, is lurking at 3-under. Aldrich Potgieter looked like he might take control, only to bogey his final two holes and settle for the same score. Chris Gotterup fired the best round of the day—a brilliant 5-under 65—to join the group at 3-under. Stephan Jaeger played a steady, no-drama round (no birdies, no bogeys) to stay in the mix. Min Woo Lee took the roller-coaster route, with four birdies and four bogeys, but ended up right there with them. Max Greyserman also made his presence felt.
With so many former major champions and rising stars within striking distance, the weekend at Aronimink is shaping up to be a classic. The course has shown its teeth, but the game's best are ready to fight back. Grab your gear and get ready—this is going to be a finish you won't want to miss.