Alex Smalley has been a man on a mission at the PGA Championship, and after three rounds at Aronimink Golf Club, he stands alone at the top of the leaderboard. The 29-year-old, who started the day tied for the lead with Maverick McNealy, managed to weather a stormy start and finish with a two-stroke advantage heading into Sunday's final round.
Smalley's third round was a tale of two nines. He stumbled out of the gate, carding bogeys on three of his first four holes. It looked like his quest for a maiden PGA Tour victory might unravel before it truly began. But the Wake Forest product showed remarkable poise, rallying with two birdies to close out the front nine at 37.
The back nine was a different story. Smalley caught fire, birdieing four of his next seven holes. A bogey on 17 briefly slowed his momentum, but he answered with a birdie on the 18th to shoot a 31 on the back nine. His 68 on the day pushed him to six-under par for the tournament.
According to FanDuel via PGATour.com, Smalley is now the betting favorite at +480, just ahead of Jon Rahm (+500) and Ludvig Aberg (+550). It's a testament to his consistent play—he's the only golfer in the field to shoot 69 or better in each of the first three rounds.
But the field is tight and hungry. Five players fired 65 on Saturday, including Matti Schmid and Nick Taylor, who catapulted from 30th place into a five-way tie for second alongside Rahm, Aberg, and Aaron Rai. Rory McIlroy, who shot a 66, is part of a four-way tie for third and has the fourth-best odds to win at +700.
Rahm, one of only three players (along with Smalley and Rai) who hasn't shot below 70 all week, is chasing his third major title as he eyes a career Grand Slam. His tournament hasn't been without controversy, but he remains a serious threat.
McIlroy, meanwhile, has been vocal about his frustrations with the Aronimink setup, but his strong third round suggests he's finding a way to adapt. The four-time major winner is lurking just a few shots back and could make a charge on Sunday.
For Smalley, the key will be avoiding the kind of slow start that nearly derailed his Saturday. If he can clean up the early holes and maintain his back-nine brilliance, he could be holding the Wanamaker Trophy by evening. But with a pack of elite players breathing down his neck, nothing is guaranteed.
Can Smalley fend off the rallies from Rahm, McIlroy, and the rest of the chasing pack? Or will Aronimink produce another twist in what has been a wild championship? All eyes will be on the final round.
