McIlroy’s approach shot on the 4th meant a birdie was always difficult so he’s got to settle for another par.

McIlroy can’t get close on the fourth. He finds the fairway with his drive, is 138 yards from the pin but is left 38 feet on the green.

Bogey for Aaron Rai, he’s now two back, while it’s a birdie on 13 for Scottie Scheffler to take him to -3.

Birdie-birdie start for Jon Rahm and we’ve a joint leader alongside Alex Smalley at -6!

The 14 footer won’t drop for McIlroy! He’s to settle for a par as does Schauffele, his third straight par in his start to the final round.

Ludvig Aberg, the Swedish Ryder Cup player, makes a move with birdie on two and now there’s a four-way tie for second on -5.

McIlroy finds the fairway on the 450-yard third and he’ll have another look at birdie on the green after his second shot.

Justin Thomas continues to charge, another birdie on 15 and he’s at -5 for the tournament, alongside Jon Rahm and Aaron Rai.

You’ll have noticed Rahm has moved to -5, that means the Spaniard, Thomas, McIlroy, Cam Smith, and Ludvig Aberg, are the pack of big names hunting down our leader Smalley.

Time for an updated PGA Championship final roudn leaderboard:

• -6 Alex Smalley
• -5 Aaron Rai, Jon Rahm
• -4 Justin Thomas, Cameron Smith, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Nick Taylor, Matti Schmid

Schauffele’s birdie attempt on two doesn’t land, he had been in the bunker off the tee. Next up it’s Rory with his effort and it’s straight in!

Opening birdie of the day for Rory McIlroy, he’s at -4!

Aaron Rai picks up a shot early on, the English golfer is now at -5 and in solo second, one shot behind Smalley.

McIlroy will have a good look at birdie on the 2nd from five feet, after pitching it close from 63 yards.

Justin Thomas playing from a bunker on the third. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Justin Thomas to take this prize for a third time? He could be in line to set the clubhouse target, his latest birdie arriving on the 15th and that gets him to -4.

McIlroy faces a testing par putt but he drains it and that’ll settle him for a start. Schauffele’s birdie attempt on the first comes to a rest after travelling uphill and he should tidy up for a par. 

Matsuyama and Niemann travelling in the opposite direction, both have dropped shots to slip back to -3.

Maverick McNealy birdies his opening hole to join the crowd on -4.

What of the world number one Scottie Scheffler? He has birdied the par-five 9th but can’t follow it up by sinking a putt on the 10th. He’s at -2 for the tournament.

McIlroy from 127 yards in the rough on the first, but can’t find the green as the ball rolls off the slope at the front.

Opening drive for Rory and that’s drifted slightly right of the fairway on the par-four first. His playing partner Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship in 2024, goes the opposite side of the fairway with his drive. They’re up and running.

A few on the charge.

Hideki Matsuyama has enjoyed birdies on 2, 4, and 5, while also throwing in a bogey on 3 into that run. He’s at -4, as is the 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith and Chilean Joauin Niemann.

All three are -2 for the rounds so far today and leaves eight players in a tie for second, two shots behind our leader Alex Smalley.

Matt Fitzpatrick (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A word also for Matt Fitzpatrick, five-under for a round of 65 today to get him to -2. There have also been rounds of 66 for Alex Noren and Casey Jarvis.

So who’s made a move so far today?

Well there’s a bunch that have jumped up to the -3 mark. The standout is Kurt Kitayama, a round of seven-under 63 vaulting him up the leaderboard, seven birdies on a blemish free card.

Justin Thomas, a winner of this tournament in 2017 and 2022, is -3 for his round today and on that mark for the tournament after 11 holes of his final round.

Harris English has picked up two shots in his opening six holes, there’s been early birdies for Chris Gotterup and Cameron Smith, meaning the group on -3 is getting bunched.

Rory McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy’s frustration was obvious on Thursday after the closing run that yielded four consecutive bogeys. He’s repaired the damage with a three-under 67 and a four-under 66 yesterday to leave him on -3.

It could have been even better for McIlroy as he was the co-leader on -4 yesterday after his birdie on the 13th, but dropped a shot on the par-three 17th.

But confidence has got to be high for the back-to-back Masters champion with six Majors to his name. He previously won the PGA Championship back in 2012 and 2014, can he lift the Wanamaker Trophy for a third time? After a T47 finish at Quail Hollow last year, McIlroy is firmly in the mix here.

Shane Lowry (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A word on the Irish players. Shane Lowry has finished the week on an upbeat note with a two-under round of 68, the highlight coming with an eagle three on the long 9th. Lowry had two birdies and two bogeys elsewhere on his card.

Rounds of 68, 76, 70 and 68 this week for Lowry – that Friday round was a big setback but he recovered some ground over the weekend.

Padraig Harrington is currently out on the course, he’s level par now for the tournament. He birdied the 2nd but has just bogeyed the 8th.

Some of the key figures of interest are yet to tee off, all eyes of course on Rory McIlroy from this corner.

Here’s the last few tee-off times:

• 6.55pm: Patrick Reed and Maverick McNealy.
• 7.05pm: Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
• 7.15pm: Aaron Rai and Ludvig Aberg.
• 7.25pm: Nick Taylor and Jon Rahm.
• 7.35pm: Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid.

Evening all and welcome along – it’s final round time for the 2026 PGA Championship, the second Major of the year.

And it’s a final round loaded with potential, a stacked leaderboard at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia as the remaining tee times are about to take place.

Here’s a reminder of the leaderboard:

• -6 Alex Smalley
• -4 Matti Schmid, Nick Taylor, Jon Rahm, Aaron Rai, Ludvig Aberg.
• -3 Kurt Kitayama, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed, Maverick McNealy, Harris English, Hideki Matusyama.