Smalley hits big-time, takes 2-shot lead into final round at PGA Championship

If many golf fans didn’t know about Alex Smalley prior to this weekend’s PGA Championship, they should after Saturday’s third round.

The 29-year-old Smalley, a Duke graduate who makes his home in Jamestown, bounced back from three early bogeys to shoot 2-under-par 68 at Aronimink Golf Club and take the lead at 6-under 204 entering Sunday’s final round.

Tied for the lead after 36 holes, Smalley was all but forgotten as a contender after bogeys at Nos. 1, 2 and 4 Saturday. But after attention turned to bigger names such as Rory McElroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Ludvig Åberg playing in front of him, Smalley rallied.

Hitting precise approaches to slippery, undulating greens on a Donald Ross design is nothing new for Smalley, a member at Sedgefield Country Club.

With birdies on Nos. 9, 10, 13, 15, 16 and 18, Smalley grabbed a two-stroke lead over Rahm, Åberg, Aaron Rai, Maverick McNealy, Matti Schmid and Nick Taylor on a tightly bunched leaderboard.

Though Smalley bogeyed 17 after his approach went into a bunker, he rebounded again with a short birdie putt at 18.

But the 21 chasers within four strokes of Smalley include several major champions. McElroy is only three behind. So are fellow major champions Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele. Another dozen, including Justin Rose, Hideki Matsuyama and Cameron Smith, are only four off the pace.

It’s been a coming out weekend for Smalley despite entering the tournament with five straight top 21 performances. On Friday, a PGA of America headline asked the question: “Who is Alex Smalley?” On Saturday, CBS announcer Jim Nantz noted Smalley was playing in only his fifth major — he has never won on the PGA Tour — and compared him to Rocky Balboa.

Wake Forest graduate Cameron Young, one of the Tour’s hottest players, shot 72 Saturday and fell six behind Smalley.

Smalley will play with Schmid, a 28-year-old German, in Sunday’s final pairing. Though he has no Tour victories, Schmid has three top 10 finishes this year.