NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania, May 16 (Reuters) - Alex Smalley birdied the final hole to seize a two-shot lead after the third round of the PGA Championship on Saturday, while struggling Scottie Scheffler said the tightly packed leaderboard at Aronimink was unlike anything he had seen before.
Smalley recovered from a shaky start to card a two-under-par 68 and move to six under overall, with 43 players within five shots of the lead before Sunday's final round. Defending champion Scheffler remained a serious threat despite a frustrating one-over 71 that left him at one under.
"Going into tomorrow, it's quite literally anybody's tournament," Scheffler told reporters. "I've never seen a leaderboard like this, this bunched up."
The world number one Scheffler struggled on the greens throughout the day, missing six putts from inside 10 feet despite ranking among the field leaders off the tee and on approach.
MCILROY SURGES BACK INTO CONTENTION
At one point during the third round, seven players shared the lead as shifting winds and more accessible pin positions produced constant movement atop the leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy was among the biggest movers on "moving day", firing a four-under 66 to surge back into the picture at three under as the Masters champion continued his bid for back-to-back major titles.
The golfer from Northern Ireland, who opened the tournament with a 74 after beginning Thursday with four consecutive bogeys, looked far more comfortable following widespread criticism of Friday's severe setup at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.
McIlroy mixed six birdies with two bogeys to sit three shots behind Smalley, while Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor and Matti Schmid formed the closest chasing group at four under.
"I feel like I still did enough to think I have a chance going into tomorrow," McIlroy told reporters.
Rahm carded a 67 and said his game felt as good as it had at any stage since his 2021 U.S. Open-winning season.
"That was a fantastic round of golf, and thrilled to be in a good position for tomorrow," Rahm said.
Aberg posted a 68 to continue his pursuit of a first major title, while Rai stayed in the hunt despite a closing bogey after another precise ball-striking display.
Schmid and Taylor each posted 65s to climb into contention, while Smalley rebounded from three bogeys in his opening four holes with six birdies over his final 14 holes.
Xander Schauffele, who carded a 66 to reach three under, and Patrick Reed at two under also remained within striking distance, while major champions Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose and Cameron Smith stayed firmly in the mix heading into Sunday.
Softer conditions initially brought lower scoring on Saturday, but stronger afternoon gusts again exposed Aronimink's difficulty, leaving dozens of players in contention for what promises to be an unpredictable final-round shootout.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris, Cynthia Osterman and William Mallard)
