Updated 00.20, 17 May

RORY MCILROY PRODUCED a brilliant third-round 66 on Saturday to put himself squarely in contention at the US PGA Championship.

The world number two, bidding for back-to-back majors after defending his Masters title last month, will start Sunday’s final round three shots behind leader Alex Smalley.

McIlroy, who started the day tied for 30th and went out among the early groups, benefited from the best of the conditions, rolling in six birdies to move up to tied-seventh on three-under par. 

“I feel like I still did enough to think I have a chance going into tomorrow,” McIlroy said, rueing a late bogey at the 17th.

Smalley finished with a birdie at the last to take a two-shot overnight lead into the final day on six-under, with a group of five players massed behind him on four-under: Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor and Matti Schmid.

McIlroy is part of a quartet on three-under alongside Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed and Maverick McNealy.

• See the full leaderboard here >

The incredibly congested nature of the leaderboard remained but the tough challenge that Aronimink Golf Club posed over the first two days eased somewhat in glorious conditions as the morning starters attacked the course.

McIlroy may have taken heart from seeing those ahead of him, including Michael Kim and Justin Rose, card a string of birdies on the front nine as he started his attack.

A glorious approach yielded a birdie at the first and his momentum was not to be stopped by a three-putt bogey at the fourth.

Back he came with birdie at the fifth and he unleashed a whopping drive onto the green at the 390-yard sixth to pick up another shot.

Rory McIlroy went full send and drove the 397-yard sixth. 💪#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/DdfdIyL8B8

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2026

A fourth birdie at the ninth saw him turn in 32 and he was now just two back from the leading mark.

McIlroy began his assault on the back nine, another brilliant approach giving him a birdie at 11 before he got up and down from the sand at 13 to pick up another shot and, all of a sudden, the six-time major champion was level at the top of the leaderboard.

Rory McIlroy reaches the top with a birdie at the 13th. 🔝

He joins the leaders at 4-under.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/dk4ns0aFZO

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 16, 2026

A bogey at the par-three 17th will be a source of frustration, with a duffed bunker shot dropping him off the leaders, but he saved par at the last.

Pádraig Harrington continued his brilliant week at Aronimink with a 67, getting back to level par for the tournament and climbing back towards the top 30 ahead of Sunday’s final round.

Shane Lowry had five birdies and five bogeys in a level-par 70 to remain on four-over par.