The PGA Championship is the unfortunate victim of its legacy. The legacy is that of match play, and for some inconceivable reason, there will always be golf people that believe that a professional major title should be contested using match play. I’m an advocate for the return of match play to the professional men’s game, without doubt. Thanks to the conditions, set-up and talent at Aronimink, we will see our own version of MMMP (multiple man match play) play out over the next two days at Aronimink.

Maverick McNealy was poised to cradt a four-shot (or more) lead, midway through the outward half (his second nine) at Donald Ross’s Philadelphia gem. McNealy made two bogeys over his stretch run, and found himself in a tie for first with Alex Smalley, one shot clear of six pursuers. On Saturday afternoon, McNealy and Smalley will have themselves a match, for certain, but they will also play individual matches against the others in the top fifteen. In true match play, the majority of the field would have been eliminated by now, with just eight golfers remaining. 22 golfers sit between minus-one and minus-four, with another seven at even par. That’s nearly 30 golfers within five shots of the lead. Match play does not afford more than a third of them a shot at glory. Is it better viewing for us, you bet.

After the final grass clippings settled, the under-par total of the leader was precisely one shot better (minus-three to minus-four) than the day before. No one is running away with this playing of the PGA Championship. Most important is the number of top players with a chance. Take a quick glance at the made-cut list, and you’ll see former PGA winners, former major winners, current major title-holders, and a legion with the pedigree to enter the major championship circle. We can only focus in on five items, so let’s take a look at a quick quintet of things that we learned on Friday at the PGA Championship.

First, Chris Gotterup

If there is tantalizing name among the leaders at Aronimink, it’s Chris Gotterup. The powerful striker from neighboring New Jersey worked his way into contention with a potent 65 on day two. Gotterup was nearly pefect, with just one bogey (at the second hole) marring his otherwise-unblemished card.

Gotterup did the thing that needed to be done: hit fairways. With a variety of clubs, Gotterup found the short grass off the tee, time after time. The ability to control spin on approach shots is tantamount to finding the proper section of each green. When he did miss a putting surface, as happened on his fifth hole (number 14) CG demonstrated short-game accumen with a deft flip from a steep, grassy, sidehill lie above the front-right bunker…he saved his par.

Second, Rory McIlroy

Only one player in the field has a shot at the 2026 grand slam of golf, and it’s the two-time Masters titleholder. After 18 holes, the cut was more important than the win for McIlroy. Had he replicated his opening 74, he’d have made the cut on the number. Anything worse, and down the road. Instead, McIlroy found a 67 of his own on Friday, and now sits within five shots of the untested leaders. McIlroy has a pair of Wannamaker trophies, given to the winner of this event, on his trophy shelf, and is now poised to make a trifecta.

Rory McIlroy found fairways and greens with relentless regularity on Friday. He posted three birdies and fifteen pars, and scarcely looked as if he might make bogey. He has no wiggle room over the next 36 holes…his 74 on day one saw to that. The consistent driver and the calm putter will be his wingmen as he seeks to earn a second major trophy this campaign.

Third, Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee’s even-par 70 is not the sort of round that will be discussed by writers and talking heads … until he wins. Lee 1.0 would have found a way to turn that 70 into a 76. He would have still made the cut, but would have been seven shot distant of the lead. Instead, he is one shot back, playing his game, in position to make a statement over the next 48 hours.

Lee missed a brief attempt at par on his ninth hole of the day, then drove under a tree on ten, resulting in a second straight bogey. Undeterred, he flagged his approach on 11 for a birdie, then posted a series of pars before closing one-under over his final four holes. For Lee, the 15th club, the one between the ears and behind the ribs, will determine the week’s outcome.

Fourth, Scottie Scheffler

Similar to Min Woo, Scottie had every opportunity to go away, after the game he brought to Aronimink on Friday. Bogeys on three of the first four holes erased all of his good, red ink from Thursday. His role as defending champion meant something to the lad from Texas (by way of New Jersey) and Scheffler sucked it up. He played minus-two golf the rest of the way, signed for 71, and finds himself in ideal position to defend his 2025 PGA Championship trophy.

For Scheffler, the two shots that turned the tide were the approach putt on 14, and the iron into 17. On the heels of a three-putt, Scheffler nudged aseventy-feet putt to within the circle of trust at 14, then holed the ensuing 30-incher for par. On 17, he was finally able to punch an approach (in this case, the tee ball on the par three) to within birdie range, and his putter again came through.

Fifth, Ludvig Aberg

Ever since he finished runner-up at his first Masters, Aberg has been the name on everyone’s Next list. He’s tall, athletic, charming, good-looking, and has the game to win often. He hasn’t won a major, and he has claimed fewer professional events than many might have anticipated. As we’ve learned from others in the recent past, sometimes it takes just one breakthrough win, to open the gate to many more. Aberg didn’t sizzle as loud as Gotterup on Friday, but he was close. His minus-four 66 brought him from made-cut to in-contention stature. His day-two fireworks were highlighted by a run of four birdies in five holes on the back nine.

We’ve seen Aberg in this position before, and it was the big stick that took him out of contention. His task over the next 48 hours will be to determine which club to hit in driving situations, and then (so eimple!) commit and execute. If his putter remains as steely and deadly as it was on day two, watch out.