Late on Thursday, two-time defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy uncharacteristically bogeyed his last four holes at Aronimink and was tied for 105th place at the 108th PGA Championship after the opening round.
Two days later, the Northern Irishman – a two-time PGA Champion who got back into the 2026 edition with a 3-under 67 on Friday – fired a 4-under 66 and was just a stroke off the lead when he finished his third round.
“I wouldn't say roller coaster of emotions,” said McIlroy, who – with a win – could become the all-time European major title leader at seven. He’s currently tied with England’s Nick Faldo at six apiece.
“I had a really bad finish on Thursday, but at the end of the day, I was only seven back. Like I thought back to last year's Masters, I was seven back after the first day, and I was two ahead going into the final day. So there's a lot of golf and a lot of things can happen during the course of a golf tournament. I've progressively just got a little bit closer to the lead each day.”
Taking advantage of a much different Aronimink on Saturday – warm, less breezy in the morning and more accessible hole locations than the first two rounds – McIlroy birdied the first hole, making an 8-foot putt. He gave that back with a bogey at the par-4 fourth but bounced back with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6. At the 397-yard, par-4 sixth, McIlroy roasted his drive 369 yards onto the front portion of the green, setting up a two-putt birdie. He’d grab one more front-nine birdie on the par-5 ninth to turn in 3-under 32.
After rolling in a 5-footer at No. 13 – his second birdie on the back side – McIlroy joined the leaders at 4 under.
As good as the birdies were, it was two remarkable late par saves that kept the round intact.
Rory McIlroy put himself in contention for his third Wanamaker Trophy with a 66 on moving day. 🏆#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/VqohIaRmfr
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2026
The first was at the par-4 15th. McIlroy’s drive settled into some thick rough left of the fairway. That heavy stuff twisted his clubface on impact, leaving him 56 yards to the hole from the fairway for his third shot. McIlroy hit that approach to 12 feet and made the putt for par.
At the par-3 17th, McIlroy’s tee shot plugged in a greenside bunker. His splash out advanced only a few feet into some rough and he got up and down for bogey. Then came his spectacular par save on 18.
McIlroy’s tee shot sailed right and into the tall grass. He advanced it up the fairway but had a touchy pitch from 40 yards out. He played that shot to 7 feet and made the putt.
“We'll see what happens,” McIlroy said. “We'll see what the guys do this afternoon. But I've climbed my way out of that hole a little bit, which is -- I'm proud of myself for doing that, but there's one more day left, and I feel like I'm -- again, if I can -- depending on what the guys do, be close enough to the lead, I feel like I've still got a good chance.”
Now, the sixth ever career Grand Slam winner will wait to see what unfolds the rest of Saturday. Should he go on to win Sunday, it would be the second leg of a calendar-year grand slam.
