Scottie Scheffler learns PGA Championship course decision after 'hardest ever' complaint

Liam Prenderville Sat, May 16, 2026 at 8:46 AM UTC

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Scottie Scheffler criticized the course set up

Scottie Scheffler criticized the course set up (Image: Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

The PGA Championship has unveiled its pin placement sheet for Saturday's round following complaints from Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy about Aronimink's challenging setup.

Scheffler described the conditions as the most demanding he'd encountered in his career, even consulting Justin Rose's caddie to express his concerns after posting a one-over on Friday. The round was plagued by pace-of-play problems, with the greens proving nearly unplayable.

McIlroy, who recovered from a disastrous opening round, shared the world No.1's assessment. Scheffler now finds himself in ninth place after beginning Friday's round as the leader. It comes as Bryson DeChambeau's 'real issue' exposed at 2026 PGA Championship

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"This is the hardest set of pin locations that I've seen since I've been on Tour," Scheffler stated. "And that includes U.S. Opens, that includes Oakmont. I did ask, I asked Fooch, who caddies for Justin Rose.

"He's been around a long time -- and I asked Teddy too -- have you seen anything like this before? They said maybe Shinnecock is the only place they have seen that has pins that could compare to this.

Scottie Scheffler (Image: PGA of America via Getty Images)

"And like it's not as, how would you say, natural to the slopes that are there. There's a bit more, I think, that's manufactured into the greens, and it's just very difficult.

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"There's also just some things that are out of your control. You just got to continue to try to hit good shots, and most of the pins today were, I mean, kind of absurd."

The PGA of America unveiled its pin placement sheet for the third round early Saturday morning, revealing another challenging setup. This positioning leaves Scheffler and McIlroy facing a significant challenge as they attempt to close the gap on frontrunners Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley.

Following Friday's play, the Masters champion commented: "It's been hard to make birdies out there because obviously, one, the wind the last couple days, but also where they have put these hole locations, I feel like they have really tried to protect the course the first couple of days. So it seems like they have used up a lot of the really hard ones.

"So depending upon a little bit calmer conditions and maybe a couple more favorable hole locations, I think guys that have, that are just here for the weekend feel -- I think everyone's got to feel like they have got a chance.

"Yes, there's -- it's bunched, but you get on a run with wedges on that front nine and you shoot 4-, 5-under and all of a sudden you're right in the thick of things.

"At five back I do feel like I'm right in the tournament, and that's really what I wanted to do today was to just get myself back in it, and I feel like I've done that."

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Source: “AOL Sports”