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Story perspectives

Record 22 Within Four Shots; Smalley Leads, $20.5M Purse

5/18/2026

39 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A record 22 players were within four shots of the lead, the most in PGA Championship history.
Alex Smalley leads after 54 holes at Aronimink Golf Club with a 6-under 204 total.
Rory McIlroy rose from a 105th-place opening round to tie for seventh at 3-under.
The PGA increased the purse to $20.5 million, giving $3.69 million to the champion after Saturday’s pin-position changes produced 14 different leaders.

History

Historical Context

Tiger Woods won his first PGA Championship in 1999 at Medinah with a $3.5 million purse, sparking a surge in prize money and field depth. Decades later, the 2024 PGA at Aronimink sees Alex Smalley leading amid a tightly packed leaderboard, reflecting the heightened competition and global media interest that Woods helped launch.

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Story summary

A record 22 players were within four shots of the lead, the most in PGA Championship history.
Alex Smalley leads after 54 holes at Aronimink Golf Club with a 6-under 204 total.
Rory McIlroy rose from a 105th-place opening round to tie for seventh at 3-under.
The PGA increased the purse to $20.5 million, giving $3.69 million to the champion after Saturday’s pin-position changes produced 14 different leaders.

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