Field bunched at PGA Championship behind unfancied leaders

Two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau was among a prominent group missing the cut at the PGA Championship in Newton Square, Pennsylvania, on Friday. Image courtesy LIV Golf.

By Rahul Banerji

The PGA Championship leaderboard bore an unfamiliar look after 36 holes at the Aronimink Golf Club with Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley sharing the halfway honours on Friday.

The two Americans were on 4 under par 136, the highest 36-hole lead total at a PGA Championship since 2008, an indication of just how tough conditions have proven to be at Newton Square in Pennsylvania.

The field, however, was closely bunched behind them and seven major winners — defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas, Jason Day and Justin Rose — were within four shots of the leaders.

Two golfers of Indian origin — Aaron Rai in tied 16th on 1 under 139 and Sahith Theegala at shared 30th on 1 over 141 — survived the cut at 4 over 144 while Akshay Bhatia and Sudarshan Yellamaraju were eliminated.

McIlroy was alongside Rai and was one of only two in the field of 156 to bring in a clean card on the second day and said later, “Anyone who makes the cut, they’ve got to feel they have a shot in the tournament.

“Yes, it’s bunched. But you get on a run with wedges on that front nine and you shoot 4, 5 under and all of a sudden you’re right in the thick of things.

“It was a day to get back into the tournament and that’s what I managed to do.”

Tight bunch

Just eight strokes separated the top and the bottom of the leaderboard, a rare happening at any professional tournament, let alone a major.

Smalley (67-69) is playing in only his fifth major and was in fact fortunate to share the lead as McNealy (69-67) dropped two late shots to fall back. “This is unfamiliar territory for me,” he said later.

“I feel like I played 4-1/2 really good hours of golf,” added McNealy, whose best at a major was T18 at this year’s Masters.

“Didn’t play my best coming in, but there’s always good stretches and bad stretches. Had a lot of things go my way today, I think.”

For Smalley, it was about coming through the tough stretches. “A lot of really good moments, some not so great moments, and then a lot of just trying to keep moving forward in between.

“It was difficult, it was chilly this morning, the wind was up. Some of the hole locations are very difficult. They’re right on the top of a crown. 

Testing greens

“So you might have a putt that goes uphill, but once it gets to the hole, it starts going downhill. It was difficult. I definitely would have taken a 1-under today before I teed off.”

McIlroy had Jordan Speith for company at T30 and both are hunting Grand Slam honours. While Speith needs the PGA for his career slam, McIlroy as the Masters champion has a shot at an unprecedented calendar slam.

Not just the conditions, even the pin positions on Friday were almost unreachable from the fairway, leaving the defending champion fuming.

“This is the hardest set of pin locations that I’ve seen since I’ve been on tour,” and angry Scheffler (67-71) said. “And that includes US Opens. That includes Oakmont.”

Among others missing the cut on Friday were Tommy Fleetwood (+5), Keegan Bradley (+6), Bryson DeChambeau (+7) and Adam Scott (+8).

Also read: Aronimink bares fangs as just 33 break par on day 1 of PGA C’ship

Related