The stage for Sunday at Aronimink Golf Club is unusually crowded, with 21 players within four shots of the lead and eight of them major champions, the report says.
The PGA of America’s setup and the Philadelphia wind have combined to make pins and greens devilish, turning straightforward holes into byzantine tests and forcing players to mix skill, artistry and patience, the report says. Xander Schauffele called the final round “an absolute free-for-all,” and Ludvig Åberg, who is two shots back, said, “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Scottie Scheffler added, “It’s quite literally anybody’s tournament,” the report says.
On Saturday the PGA of America eased its tough setup slightly and the wind shifted, producing calmer morning conditions that turned hard-earned pars into birdie opportunities, the report says. Five players shot 5-under 65, all of them teeing off before 12:30 p.m. Rory McIlroy said he had “progressively just got a little bit closer to the lead each day” and felt he still had a chance; he shot 4-under 66, grabbed the clubhouse lead at 3 under and pumped his fist after a par save on 18 as the flags began to whip again, the report says. Xander Schauffele matched that score and stood three shots back, per the report.
When the wind returned in the afternoon, the leaderboard became a hazardous place to occupy, with players trading the lead and then relinquishing it. Jon Rahm and Chris Gotterup each reached 5 under before bogeys set them back; Rahm was at 4 under and two shots back of the leader, the report says. The day’s movement only tightened the standings: 16 players held at least a share of the lead at some point Saturday, and separation was nowhere to be found.
As the sun set and the flags eased, Alex Smalley “found something on the back nine,” the report says. With the leaderboard so compact, Sunday figures to be unpredictable and wide open, the report adds.
