Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, May 17, 2026, 16:10 EDT
- Alex Smalley doubled the sixth, opening the door for Matti Schmid to jump ahead by one.
- Why does the turn matter? The PGA Championship—one of golf’s four majors—kicked off Sunday, and already the board is tighter than ever, a record bunching.
- Justin Thomas and Kurt Kitayama turned in early scores, putting the heat on the leaders.
Matti Schmid jumped out front alone at the PGA Championship on Sunday, as Alex Smalley’s two-shot lead vanished by the sixth at Aronimink Golf Club. Schmid rolled in a birdie, Smalley stumbled to a double bogey, and suddenly the final round was wide open again, plenty of holes left on the back nine.
That wild move? It was baked in early Sunday, with volatility more or less inevitable. Smalley started the day at 6 under, but, as Reuters pointed out, a tournament-record 22 players trailed by four shots or fewer. The Wanamaker Trophy—the PGA Championship’s top prize—stood wide open for any of them.
Schmid was cruising at 6 under after his first six holes, according to the live board. Trailing by a shot, Justin Thomas, Nick Taylor and Cameron Smith all sat at 5 under. Smalley slipped to 4 under, now sharing that mark with Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, Aaron Rai and Jon Rahm.
Smalley grabbed his first solo 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour after carding a 68 in round three. Heading into the final round, CBS Sports pointed out that it’s been unusual since 2000 to see a PGA Championship final pairing where neither player owns a PGA Tour win. Schmid, 28, finds himself making his debut at the PGA Championship.
Early in the week, it was all about Scottie Scheffler trying to defend his title, Rory McIlroy coming off a Masters win, and Jordan Spieth chasing the last leg of the career Grand Slam. But by Sunday afternoon, it was Schmid and Smalley in the spotlight, the pairing that really mattered.
Before the leaders even hit the course, PGA pro Keith Stewart described Smalley’s spot as “uncharted career waters” in a post on the championship site, and pointed out that late scoring opportunities might make it tough to keep the lead. That didn’t last. PGA Championship
Smalley wasn’t looking to make it a big deal. “I’m trying to downplay that as much as I possibly can,” he told reporters after Saturday’s round, AP reported. Scheffler sized up the crowded leaderboard, calling it “quite literally anybody’s tournament.” AP News
Thomas was first into the clubhouse with a meaningful number, firing a 65 to climb to 5 under. The two-time PGA Championship winner said, “did our part,” but acknowledged he’d need the course—and those still playing—to cooperate from here. PGA Championship
Earlier, Kitayama produced more fireworks. He fired a flawless 63—matching the record for lowest final round in a major—and afterward, he gave a nod to the “putter God” for his magic on the greens. That run pulled him to 3 under. Reuters
The turnout has kept pace with the forecast. WPVI said roughly 200,000 fans were expected for the week, and the third round brought heavy crowds to viewing spots and fan zones. “Philadelphia golf is in the spotlight,” said Joanna Coe, Merion Golf Club’s director of instruction and an ESPN commentator. 6abc Philadelphia
Schmid’s advantage barely held, with Aronimink ready to bite back at any mistake. Kitayama noted the lighter wind made things a bit less brutal on Sunday compared to earlier rounds, yet the quick greens and tight fairways punished anyone trying to hang onto a score instead of attacking.
Schmid heads into the final holes eyeing a shot at converting his first PGA Championship appearance into something far bigger—a major win. Smalley, on the other hand, is left weighing whether his hopes for a first PGA Tour victory can survive after a single hole shook up his Sunday on one of the game’s grandest stages.
