German golfer Matti Schmid surged into the lead of the US PGA Championship on Sunday as Alex Smalley stumbled with a double bogey, while Justin Thomas set the clubhouse benchmark with a brilliant 65.
Final Round Drama at Aronimink
Alex Smalley, who holds no PGA Tour victories, seized control of the championship on Saturday evening by birdieing four of the last six holes to open a two-shot lead at Aronimink Golf Club. However, an extraordinary 21 players were within four shots of his six-under-par score as the final round commenced, and the chasing pack quickly applied pressure.
Justin Thomas, a two-time champion, roared into contention with a superb round of 65, highlighted by a remarkable par save at the last. He set the clubhouse lead at five under par, the target everyone on the course knew they had to beat.
McIlroy and Rahm in Pursuit
Rory McIlroy, chasing a seventh major and second consecutive win, started the day three shots back and one adrift of a crowded group at four under, which included two-time major champion Jon Rahm, England's Aaron Rai, and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg. The Northern Irishman birdied the second to move within two, but birdie chances slipped away at the fourth, fifth, and seventh, leaving him two back.
Rahm began in fine form, birdieing the first two to briefly join Smalley at six under before a poor approach at the third led to a bogey.
Smalley's Struggles and Schmid's Surge
In just his fifth major, Smalley showed no signs of nerves as the big names closed in, holing a superb 26-foot par putt at the third. He made par at the first five to remain the solo leader at six under, but struggled off the tee and endured a horror show at the sixth. Two woeful shots from the rough led to his first double bogey of the week, dropping him to four under.
Moments later, Schmid made his third birdie in the first six holes to take the solo lead, one clear of Thomas, Rahm, former Open champion Cameron Smith, and Canada's Nick Taylor. However, Rahm found trouble at the sixth, falling back to four under alongside McIlroy.
Rai, another underdog battling to fend off the heavyweight names, birdied the first and fourth to sit one back at five under before sloppily bogeying the sixth.
Scheffler Falls Short
World number one Scottie Scheffler began his round five adrift and could not find the fireworks to drag himself back into contention, shooting 69 as his bid for a fifth major fell short.
Should there be a tie at the end of the round, a three-hole playoff will decide the winner of the Wanamaker Trophy.
