Round 2 of the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania is in the books — and the leaderboard looks nothing like anyone predicted heading into the week. An unheralded American named Maverick McNealy has stormed to the top of the PGA Championship leaderboard, Aldrich Potgieter stumbled down the stretch, and Rory McIlroy staged a crucial recovery to make the cut. Here is the complete Round 2 update.
PGA Championship Leaderboard After Round 2 — Saturday Tee Times Ahead
Here is the updated PGA Championship leaderboard entering the weekend at Aronimink:
| Pos. | Player | R1 | R2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maverick McNealy | 68 | 64 | -6 |
| T2 | Aldrich Potgieter | 67 | 70 | -4 |
| T2 | Hideki Matsuyama | 68 | 68 | -4 |
| T2 | Jon Rahm | 69 | 67 | -4 |
| T5 | Scottie Scheffler | 67 | 71 | -2 |
| T5 | Justin Thomas | 69 | 69 | -2 |
| T5 | Alex Smalley | 67 | 71 | -2 |
| T8 | Xander Schauffele | 68 | 72 | E |
| T8 | Min Woo Lee | 67 | 71 | E |
| -- | Rory McIlroy | 74 | 68 | +2 (made cut) |
| -- | Bryson DeChambeau | 76 | 76 | +8 (missed cut) |
Maverick McNealy Steals the Show With Stunning Round 2
Maverick McNealy grabbed the solo lead at the PGA Championship after back-to-back birdies on his back nine, capped by an eagle at the 16th hole, to surge to 6-under for the tournament — two clear of the field heading into the weekend at Aronimink Golf Club.
McNealy, a 30-year-old Stanford product who has knocked on the door of PGA Tour victories without breaking through at the highest level, is now 36 holes away from a stunning first major championship. His 64 in Round 2 is one of the week's low rounds and comes on a day when Aronimink played significantly harder than Thursday.
Aldrich Potgieter Stumbles at the Worst Moment
Aldrich Potgieter stumbled at the worst time, making back-to-back bogeys to wrap his Friday round, which dropped him out of the lead. His even-par 70 on Friday now has the 21-year-old South African suddenly two shots back of McNealy heading into the weekend.
Potgieter had been chasing history all afternoon — circling the possibility of becoming the youngest 36-hole leader at a major championship since Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters. He was on his back nine and still in front when the wheels came off on his final two holes.
Rory McIlroy Makes the Cut — Barely
Rory McIlroy was off to the kind of start he desperately needed after his brutal 74 on Thursday, birdying the second hole and adding another at the fourth to move back to 2-over for the tournament — inside the projected cut line.
McIlroy ultimately posted a 68 in Round 2 to get to 2-over par for the tournament, surviving the cut after Thursday's disaster. He is now ten shots off McNealy's lead and will need a near-perfect 36 holes on the weekend to have any realistic chance at the Wanamaker Trophy.
Scottie Scheffler Fights Back but Falls Off the Pace
Scottie Scheffler dropped to even par at one stage of his second round after a difficult stretch off the tee, before recovering to finish at 2-under for the tournament. The defending PGA Champion and World No. 1 enters the weekend four shots behind McNealy — well within striking distance but needing a move early on Saturday.
Scoring conditions were significantly tougher in Round 2, with the scoring average climbing to 73.1 — nearly a full shot higher than Round 1 as wind howled across the Aronimink layout in the morning wave.
Jon Rahm Quietly Enters Contention
Jon Rahm went bogey-free in Round 2 and made two birdies in a four-hole stretch on Friday, climbing suddenly into a share of second place at 4-under. Rahm — who opened with a 1-under 69 Thursday — is now right in the mix and will be one of the most dangerous names on the Saturday tee sheet.
How to Watch PGA Championship 2026 — Weekend TV Schedule
Round 3 is Saturday, May 16 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. CBS will air the PGA Championship on Saturday and Sunday from 1–7 p.m. ET. ESPN carries early coverage both weekend days from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET. Live streaming begins at 6:30 a.m. ET each day on ESPN+, with featured group and featured hole coverage available throughout the round. Paramount+ streams the CBS broadcast live for cord-cutters.
