NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 15, 2026, 17:02 (EDT)
- Brandt Snedeker, 45, snapped a six-year drought with his victory at the Myrtle Beach Classic—his first PGA Tour win since 2018—which also secured him a spot in the PGA Championship field.
- He notched the victory using a driver from 2017, one he’d grabbed out of his garage after it sat unused for years.
- Friday at Aronimink saw Snedeker’s comeback slip into a battle with the cut line; he was 4-over after just six holes in round two.
Brandt Snedeker, a late entry to the PGA Championship, found himself hovering near the cut line Friday at Aronimink Golf Club. The 45-year-old was 4-over through six holes in his second round, teetering on the edge of the projected weekend field. As of then, CBS Sports’ live leaderboard showed Snedeker in a share of 70th place—the last spot to make the cut, with only the top 70 and ties moving forward.
Snedeker wasn’t expected to grab headlines this week. Just five days ago, he clinched the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, snapping a nearly eight-year PGA Tour title drought. That win, at an opposite-field event—smaller in scale, running alongside a marquee stop—pushed him straight into a major start.
It was an unconventional path, but it worked. Snedeker fired a closing 66, five under par, at Dunes Golf and Beach Club to reach 18-under 266. That left him a shot clear of Mark Hubbard, giving Snedeker his 10th PGA Tour win plus 300 FedExCup points and a $720,000 payday out of the $4 million purse.
The standout club wasn’t exactly fresh off the shelf. According to Golf Channel, Snedeker grabbed a 2017 driver he’d found in his stash of around 75 clubs at home and brought it back during last month’s Zurich Classic, before wielding it again at Myrtle Beach. “I guess I’m old school,” Snedeker said. The shorter driver, he explained, just tightens his shot pattern. Golf Channel
Snedeker brought more experience at Aronimink than much of the field, having seen the course in both the 2018 BMW Championship—where he ended up 67th—and the 2010 AT&T National, finishing tied for 16th. “One of the good things about being old out here is you’ve probably played most of the places,” Snedeker said. “I do remember the golf course pretty well.” Golf Channel
Aronimink showed little mercy despite the lingering memory. Thursday’s start to the year’s second major saw seven players — among them Scottie Scheffler, Martin Kaymer, Aldrich Potgieter, Min Woo Lee, and Alex Smalley — sharing the lead at 3-under 67. A tightly packed leaderboard, with 48 golfers sitting within three shots.
By Friday morning, Alex Smalley found himself one clear of both Hideki Matsuyama and Chris Gotterup on the clubhouse leaderboard. Defending champ Scheffler, who bogeyed three out of his opening four holes, carded a 71 and lost ground. “It was pretty obvious to tell this morning the conditions were pretty tough,” Scheffler said, citing wind and tough pins. Reuters
The gap for Snedeker is obvious. Smalley, Matsuyama, and Gotterup chased the leaders; Snedeker, after that Myrtle Beach lift, just fought to extend his stay. A single rough patch threatens to turn the veteran’s comeback tale into a fleeting headline, not a week-long resurgence.
Even if the score doesn’t stick, there’s something to take from the week. Golf Channel reported that Snedeker’s Myrtle Beach win secured him a PGA Championship spot and an exemption through 2028. But after clinching the victory, Snedeker made it clear he won’t compete on his own U.S. Presidents Cup team.
Friday could easily reduce the comeback to a blip on the calendar. Aronimink isn’t forgiving—missed shots face a real cost. Snedeker thrived at Myrtle Beach by hitting fairways with his go-to club, but that’s not enough on this course. Here, cold gusts, tough lies and pins tucked tight have forced even top players to battle for a spot past the cut.
