Alex Smalley’s – Alex Smalley, the Duke University graduate from Rochester now living in Greensboro, is drawing attention at Aronimink as the 2026 PGA Championship gets underway. With a patient style, three previous PGA Championship appearances, and a consistent 2026 season hi
When the PGA Championship shifts to a demanding test like Aronimink, the players who survive aren’t always the ones most built for fireworks. Alex Smalley has been giving the impression that his quieter approach is exactly the kind that holds up when birdies dry out.
Smalley, 29, is from Rochester, New York, and now makes his home in Greensboro, North Carolina.. Born on October 21. 1996. he turned professional in 2019 after building his foundation at Duke University. the sort of path he’s leaned on ever since.. This week. his game is looking tailor-made for a Major where patience is often the difference between moving up and getting stuck.
Smalley’s track record in the PGA Championship isn’t extensive. but it’s enough to suggest he understands the atmosphere.. He has three PGA Championship appearances: in 2023 at Oak Hill Country Club. he finished +3 after rounds of 73-72-70-68. placing him T-23.. In 2024 at Valhalla Golf Club, he made the cut with finishes of 74-73 and finished (+5).. In 2025 at Quail Hollow Club. he posted 67 in Round 1 and ultimately ended at T-28 with a total of -1. closing with 71-73-72.
Those results help explain why his name is showing up on the kind of leaderboard conversations that matter this week.. Smalley has earned $284,820 from PGA Championship play, and his best Major finish remains that T-23 at Oak Hill in 2023.. The low round of 67 at Quail Hollow in 2025 also shows he can still go low when the week opens up.
What’s fueling the buzz heading into Aronimink is how he’s been playing on the PGA TOUR throughout 2026.. Smalley has built one of the more consistent campaigns. with a streak of near-misses and top placements that suggest steadiness rather than volatility.. His highlights include a T-2 at the Zurich Classic. a T-7 at the Cadillac Championship. a T-14 at the Valero Texas Open. a T-17 at the Truist Championship. and a T-19 at AT&T Pebble Beach.
The case for him at Aronimink is straightforward: his game profile fits a Major setup designed to test every part of decision-making.. He’s described as a well-rounded ball-striker who can attack from multiple angles. and the numbers point to strengths in his approach game and around-the-green work.. Just as important. his development from Duke and the slower grind of his climb to the PGA TOUR appears to have shaped his mental framework for weeks when scoring is at a premium.
With conditions staying difficult and the leaderboard already packed, the Wanamaker Trophy remains up for grabs.. Smalley is the kind of player who can keep pace on a week like this—patient enough to hang in when birdies are scarce. experienced enough to handle the pressure. and in a run of form that makes a weekend move feel realistic.
If you haven’t heard his name yet, Aronimink may be the place where it starts getting repeated.
Alex Smalley 2026 PGA Championship Aronimink Golf Club Duke University golf PGA Tour Wanamaker Trophy Rochester Greensboro Major Championship strokes-gained
Aronimink sounds like a place where you either play perfect or just get cooked.
So he’s “patient” right? Sounds like a fancy way of saying he doesn’t go for stuff. But hey if it works in majors I guess.
I don’t get why they keep bringing up his Duke thing like that makes him win lol. Also wasn’t the PGA in 2026 already decided? Like I swear I saw something about Oak Hill but then it’s Valhalla/Quail… my brain is fried.
Patient style holding up when birdies dry out… ok but birdies dry out for everybody, so what’s the special sauce? The article says he turned pro in 2019 and from Rochester to Greensboro which is a wild move, but none of that tells me if he can actually win this week. If he finished T-23 once that’s not exactly “major winner” energy.