Alex Smalley Co-Leads PGA at 4 Under as Rory McIlroy Battles Back to 1 Over

10 articles · Updated · PGA TOUR · May 15

Alex Smalley reached 4 under through 36 holes to share the PGA Championship lead, while Rory McIlroy steadied himself with three birdies and no bogeys to get back to 1 over, five shots off the pace.
Aronimink’s sloping Donald Ross greens and especially severe Friday hole locations kept scoring down; Scottie Scheffler called them the hardest pins he has ever played, and Chris Gotterup said some barely looked on the green.
Gotterup still produced the round of the day with a 5-under 65, while bigger names including Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut.
The demanding setup also slowed play in windy conditions, with Justin Thomas saying his group was put on the clock despite 25-mph gusts and difficult pins.
The course had faced pre-tournament doubts about being too easy for modern pros, but its greens and setup have instead created a tightly packed leaderboard heading into the weekend.

With new slow-play penalties, will a top contender finally be docked a crucial stroke?

Does a setup that neutralizes power truly identify the world's best all-around player?

When pros call a course 'absurd,' is it compelling drama or simply unfair?