Scottie Scheffler Stays In PGA Championship Hunt Despite Rough Round At Aronimink
Scottie Scheffler stayed close to the PGA Championship lead after battling through a difficult second round at Aronimink and finishing Friday at 2 under overall.
- By NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: May 15, 2026, 7:01 PM EDT
- Scottie Scheffler shot a 1 over 71 during Friday’s second round
- Scheffler stayed in contention despite early struggles off the tee
- The defending champion remains in the hunt heading into the weeke
Scottie Scheffler looked far from comfortable Friday at Aronimink Golf Club, but by the end of the day, he still kept himself firmly inside the PGA Championship fight. The defending champion shot a 1-over 71 in difficult conditions during the second round and moved to 2 under through 36 holes. After struggling off the tee early and missing fairways at an unusual rate, Scheffler slowly recovered late in the round. His ability to stay close despite mistakes quickly became one of the biggest storylines heading into the weekend.
Scottie Scheffler Battles Through Difficult Round To Stay In PGA Championship Contention
Friday started badly for Scheffler, almost from the beginning. After hitting 13 of 14 fairways in Round 1, he suddenly lost rhythm off the tee and failed to hit a fairway through his first six holes. The shaky start hurt him quickly as he picked up three bogeys within his opening four holes.
Still, the world No. 1 never fully lost control of the round. Scheffler finally settled down with a birdie on the 17th hole after starting on the back nine. Another birdie followed on No. 4, helping him recover some momentum before a bogey at No. 6 slowed him down again.
What kept Scheffler alive was his patience. Even when birdie chances barely missed, including a close putt on No. 7 that stopped inches short, he stayed calm and finished strong with another birdie on No. 9. That late recovery now gives him a realistic chance to make another weekend charge at Aronimink.
Scottie Scheffler Looks To Repeat Masters Style Comeback At Aronimink
The interesting part about Scheffler's position is that he has already survived much worse this season. Scheffler has shown in past majors that he can recover from tough starts, including strong finishes in previous PGA Championships and big‑field events.
Scheffler himself admitted Thursday that this tournament already felt different compared to some of his slower starts earlier in the year. He said his opening round was “definitely” his best start of the season. Even though Friday became messy at times, staying near the top while struggling could actually give him confidence entering Round 3.
Scheffler has been in contention frequently this season, including several runner‑up finishes, and will look to convert this into a victory again. Aronimink has already tested almost every player in the field, but Scheffler once again showed why he remains dangerous even on days when his best golf never fully appears.