It's Saturday. The year's second major. PGA Championship at Aronimink. Rory McIlroy has played 16 holes and tops a leaderboard at the same time as leaders Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy are teeing off on the first – none of the two in the final pairing have thus far won on the PGA Tour.
36 players are within five shots. Some big names. Some not so big. A packed leaderboard that bodes for an exciting finish – but also proof of a poor tournament set up of the golf course, that does not separate great from good.
Yes, in a way the leaderboard is telling the story of how many talented golfers we currently have in the world. We have had phenomenons such as Scottie Scheffler, that have dominated big parts of seasons, but over the last few years there is now doubt more players are have been better than ever before, and that the competition is bot better and bigger than in previous eras. More players are good enough to win.
However, I, and many with me, have a hard time remembering a scenario in a major where more players have been "in the mix" with just a bit more than a round to go.
Rory McIlroy put it into words when he met the media Friday afternoon.
“I think a bunched leaderboard like this is a sign of a not so great setup,” McIlroy said following two rounds where the course had played tough.
“I think when it’s as bunched as it is, because it hasn’t really enabled anyone to separate themselves. It’s easy to make a ton of pars, hard to make birdies, and not that it’s hard to make bogey, but it feels like bogey’s the worst score you’re going to shoot on any one hole.”
Maybe the tournament director paid attention. Saturday the course was playing a lot easier. However, still leaderboard remained compact.
Having this said it is looking like an exciting Sunday with tons of drama awaits.
Whether the most complete golfer wins – that's a different question.