Maverick McNealy in unfamiliar territory as co-leader of PGA Championship

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Maverick McNealy is in unfamiliar territory at the 108th PGA Championship.

McNealy carded an eagle and three birdies and overcame a couple late bogeys to shoot 3-under 67 at Aronimink Golf Club on Friday and share the 36-hole lead with Alex Smalley.

“I feel like I played 4 1/2 really good hours of golf. Didn't play my best coming in, but there's always good stretches and bad stretches,” he said.

Maverick McNealy of the United States plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 15, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

McNealy is playing in his 14th career major championship. Prior to this week, he had never been among the Top 25 on the leaderboard at the end of 36 holes, and his best result is a T-18 finish at the Masters last month. It’s a bit mind boggling as he’s steadily improved each season on the PGA Tour, winning the 2024 RSM Classic and nearly earning a U.S. Ryder Cup captain’s pick last season. But majors are set up to be ballstriking tests and his putter could only take him so far. McNealy’s swing needed some refinements so he got to work with swing coach Scott Hamilton and changed his swing pattern after recuperating from tearing the anterior sterno-clavicular ligament in his left shoulder in 2023. Since the spring of 2024, he has seen an uptick in his ball striking. How confident is he feeling heading into the weekend?

“I honestly wouldn't say they're that high,” said McNealy, who told his brother and caddie, Scout, that he was surprised he was doing so well as they walked off the last hole. “I didn't feel like I played that great. I somehow got a lot out of my game, and this is obviously new territory for me. But I am confident that it's going to go into the experience bank, and good or bad, I'm going to learn a lot from it.”

McNealy, who opened with 69 on Thursday, played in the afternoon on Friday and said he benefited from playing in the easier weather wave. He holed a 54-foot bunker shot at the par-5 16th for eagle and became the first player to reach 6 under this week. He dropped shots at Nos. 6 and 8 to fall back into a tie with Smalley but still will play in the last group on Saturday.