US PGA Championship 2026: Alex Smalley leads, McIlroy, Rahm, Rose, Rai and Scheffler in mix

Key Points:

• The third round of the US PGA Championship, known as 'moving day', saw a highly competitive leaderboard with 14 players sharing the lead at various points and 30 players within five shots of leader Alex Smalley, who is at six under par.
• Course adjustments by the PGA of America, including moving tees and making pin positions more accessible, led to lower scores and a more dynamic leaderboard, benefiting top players like Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Jon Rahm.
• Rory McIlroy made a significant comeback from outside the top 100 after the first round to reach four under, aiming to become the sixth player to win the first two majors of the year, while Rahm and Rose also positioned themselves strongly for the final round.
• Alex Smalley, the surprise leader without a professional win and holding his first 54-hole lead in 141 PGA Tour starts, showed resilience with late birdies to maintain a two-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round.
• Several players chasing their first major win, including Matti Schmid, Nick Taylor, and Aaron Rai, remain in contention, with Rai notably aiming to become the first Englishman to win the US PGA Championship since 1919.