The second round of the 2026 US PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club is underway, with a crowded leaderboard and plenty of action. Scottie Scheffler, the world number one and tournament favourite, started the day tied for the lead but has struggled early, dropping shots in his first few holes. The weather has improved, with the sun emerging and the wind easing, creating better scoring conditions.
Leaderboard Update
As of early afternoon, Alex Smalley holds the outright lead at 4 under par, following a birdie on the par-five 16th. He is closely pursued by a group at 3 under, including Hideki Matsuyama, who birdied the par-three 5th, and several others such as Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee, and Ryo Hisatsune. Patrick Reed, who was bogey-free in the first round, is at 2 under after a birdie on the 4th.
Key Moments
- Scottie Scheffler's struggles: The world number one missed fairways and three-putted, dropping to level par after a bogey on the 13th. He later made a birdie on the 17th to move back to 1 under.
- Hideki Matsuyama's charge: The 2021 Masters champion birdied the 3rd and 5th to move within one shot of the lead, showing solid form.
- Alex Smalley's consistency: The 29-year-old American has kept his round bogey-free, capitalizing on the par-five 16th to take sole possession of the lead.
- Justin Rose's woes: The Englishman double-bogeyed the 10th and 14th, falling to 4 over par and facing a battle to make the cut.
- Michael Block's magic: The club professional, who charmed fans in 2023, birdied the par-three 5th to move to 1 under, delighting the crowd.
Weather and Course Conditions
The wind has dropped significantly compared to the morning, and the sun is now shining, making the course more receptive to scoring. However, the rough remains penal, and the firm fairways can send wayward shots into trouble. Players are finding it challenging to go low, with only a handful breaking par in the early stages.
Notable Performances
Luke Donald shot a back-nine 34 to move to level par, while Haotong Li is 1 under for the tournament after birdies on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th. David Lipsky holed out for eagle on the 9th from 43 yards, his first hole-out in a major. Chandler Blanchet, in his PGA Championship debut, birdied the 10th to move to 2 under.
Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, had a difficult start, three-putting the 10th and then double-bogeying the 17th after finding the water, dropping to 2 over. Martin Kaymer, the 2010 champion, also slipped back after a bogey on the 2nd.
Looking Ahead
With many of the world's best players still on the course, the leaderboard is expected to shift significantly as the afternoon progresses. The cut line is projected at around 2 over par, meaning several big names face an anxious finish. Scottie Scheffler will look to regain his form, while others like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are yet to tee off.
Stay tuned for more updates as the second round unfolds at Aronimink Golf Club.
