Rory McIlroy delivered a stinging critique of the Aronimink Golf Club layout after grinding his way back into PGA Championship contention with a second-round 67 that left him five shots off the pace. The Masters champion, chasing back-to-back major titles, labelled the course set-up 'not great' and argued the congested leaderboard proved organisers had failed to create enough scoring separation.
Having opened with a ragged 74 on Thursday, McIlroy knew he needed a Friday spark to avoid a weekend flight home. The Northern Irishman responded emphatically, carding three birdies and no bogeys in winds that gusted across the Pennsylvania venue. His one-over-par total lifted him inside the top 20 and revived hopes of a third Wanamaker Trophy.
The 37-year-old has a deep history at this championship, winning in 2012 and 2014. His recent major hot streak includes last month’s green jacket at Augusta, and he arrived at Aronimink as the world number two. A seventh career major would cement his legacy as one of the modern greats, but McIlroy admitted the conditions through two days made scoring unusually difficult.
'It has been hard to make birdies out there because obviously the wind the last couple days, but also where they have put these hole locations,' McIlroy told reporters. 'I feel like they have really tried to protect the course the first couple of days.' He described his own round as a marked improvement on Thursday's display, which he had bluntly summarised with a four-letter word.
The bunched leaderboard became a focal point of his post-round comments. Just eight strokes separated halfway leaders Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy at four under from the cut line, the smallest such margin in PGA Championship history. McIlroy saw that tight clustering as a symptom of a flawed set-up.
'I think a bunched leaderboard like this, I think it's a sign of not a great set-up,' he said. 'When it's as bunched as it is, it hasn't really enabled anyone to separate themselves. It's easy to make a ton of pars, hard to make birdies. 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.' He contrasted the scenario with well-designed courses that naturally spread the field.
Tournament officials positioned many pins in difficult spots and the swirling wind amplified the challenge. McIlroy argued that a more strategic set-up would have allowed the best form to rise to the top rather than compressing the pack. His criticism echoed some player frustrations at recent majors where scoring was overly suppressed.
Pace of play also drew McIlroy’s ire. The marquee group found themselves caught in bottlenecks, particularly after Sahith Theegala lost a ball at the 10th. 'It was slow,' McIlroy conceded, noting that such delays are almost expected in major championship golf but remain a sore point for players when combined with tough conditions.
Despite his gripes, McIlroy enters the weekend with genuine belief. From five back at the halfway stage, he knows a hot front nine can catapult him into the hunt. 'You get on a run with wedges on that front nine and you shoot four or five under and all of a sudden you're right in the thick of things,' he said. 'At five back I do feel like I'm right in the tournament.'
History supports his optimism. McIlroy has overturned larger deficits in majors, including his famous 2011 U.S. Open win from eight shots behind. This season he has already mounted Sunday charges at The Masters and in several regular events, underlining his capacity to go low when under pressure.
The third round could see calmer weather and more accessible pin placements, which would favour his brand of attacking golf. If a softer set-up materialises, McIlroy’s ball-striking and putting form may finally find the reward that has been missing. He will need to avoid the kind of loose swings that led to four bogeys in his opening round.
For now, the star name lurking just off the lead is exactly the scenario television executives and fans crave. Whether his tongue-lashing of the course will galvanise him or distract remains to be seen, but McIlroy has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. His television interview after round two, broadcast on Sky Sports, made clear he expects much more from both himself and the tournament.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.