Truist Championship: Leaderboard Shifts as Round 3 Begins Amid Weather Delays The 2026 Truist Championship entered its third round on Saturday, May 9, with the leaderboard still in flux as players aim to secure a spot in the PGA Championship. Sungjae Im, the tournament’s early leader, maintained his position at 9 under par after a dominant 7-under performance in Round 1. His lead, however, is narrow, with several players within striking distance. Tommy Fleetwood trails by a single stroke after posting two consecutive 4-under rounds, while Justin Thomas and Alex Fitzpatrick, who recently celebrated their brother’s PGA Tour victory, sit two shots behind. Rory McIlroy, the 2018 Masters champion, surged into the top 10 following a 4-under Round 2, positioning him four strokes off the pace. Other players with strong second-round performances include Kristoffer Reitan, Ludvig Aberg, Cameron Young, Akshay Bhatia, Nicolai Højgaard, and Rickie Fowler, who climbed into contention with an impressive 8-under round. A total of 22 players are within six shots of Im’s lead, highlighting the competitive nature of the field as they prepare to head into the PGA Championship. The tournament faced logistical challenges on Day 3 due to weather disruptions. For the second consecutive day, the start of Round 3 was delayed by inclement conditions in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first round had already been postponed by over four hours due to heavy rain, forcing organizers to switch from the original pairs format to split-tee threesomes. This adjustment led to Round 3 beginning at 8:50 a.m. ET, 75 minutes later than the original schedule. Meteorological forecasts indicate a high of 79 degrees Fahrenheit with intermittent clouds and sun on Saturday.#justin_thomas #tommy_fleetwood #sungjae_im #alex_fitzpatrick #truist_championship
Sungjae Im Leads as Rory McIlroy Makes Friday Charge at Truist Championship CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rory McIlroy returned to form on Friday at the Truist Championship, finishing with a 4-under 67 on the back nine to move into contention. The world No. 2 player, who had played only one tournament in seven weeks since winning the Masters in April, climbed four shots behind the 36-hole leader, Sungjae Im, who was at 9-under 133. McIlroy entered the day at 1 under after the turn, eight shots behind the leader, but birdies on holes 10, 11, 13, 15, and 16 propelled him into the mix. His approach shots improved throughout the round, and he set a personal course record by hitting 14 consecutive greens in regulation. Despite missing a par putt on the par-4 18th hole after finding a greenside bunker, McIlroy remained optimistic. “It was a good day to get myself back in the hunt, and feel like I have a real chance going into the weekend,” he said. McIlroy’s performance was notable after a slow start, as he struggled to find his rhythm following his recent return to competitive play. He acknowledged the challenge of translating practice sessions into tournament success, stating, “I think just getting the reps under my belt a little bit and getting a scorecard in my hand helps. Your patterns on the golf course are always a little bit different than your patterns on the range.” His 32 on the back nine, despite the missed par putt, highlighted his progress. Sungjae Im, the South Korean golfer, maintained his lead after a strong performance. He followed an opening round 7-under 64 with a 69, aiming for his first PGA Tour victory since 2021 in Las Vegas. Im, who has battled a wrist injury this season and only had one top-40 finish, said, “I know this course very well, so I’m taking advantage of that.#rory_mcilroy #tommy_fleetwood #sungjae_im #cameron_young #truist_championship
Justin Thomas Mimics Cameron Young’s Putter to Contend at Truist Championship Justin Thomas, struggling with his putting during the Truist Championship, turned to a simple solution: borrowing Cameron Young’s putter. Frustrated by his performance on the greens, Thomas asked his Titleist rep for the same Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype that Young had relied on to win twice this season and climb to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Thomas, ranked No. 152 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting since returning from November back surgery, had recently switched to his backup Newport 2 GSS after a difficult week with his Phantom 5.5 at the Masters. Thomas’s T-23 finish at the Cadillac Championship marked his fourth top-41 result in six starts this season, but his putting struggles persisted. During the Truist, he lost nearly six strokes for the week, worse than only five players. “I played really well last week, I just putted horrifically,” Thomas admitted. “I had a very tough time on those greens. But I played really, really, really well at Augusta, and I just had zero to show for it. I drove it well, I felt like I hit a lot of good iron shots, just was kind of one of those weeks where I couldn’t get anything going, couldn’t make that putt or get that ball up-and-down that I needed to, either to keep momentum or get momentum. And that stuff just kind of – it wears.” Thomas received his new putter on Monday, only to find himself grouped with Young for the first two rounds. “We had the exact same shoes on yesterday, and it’s like, ‘I promise I’m not trying to copy everything you do, but I’m maybe trying to copy everything you do,’” Thomas joked. “It’s a similar putter to what I used in the past, in terms of toe hang and what I felt.#pga_tour #justin_thomas #cameron_young #titleist #truist_championship
Marco Penge Withdraws From ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic Amid Health Concerns England’s Marco Penge has withdrawn from this week’s ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic on the PGA Tour, citing health reasons, just days before the event’s second major championship of the season. The 27-year-old player confirmed his decision on Wednesday in a brief statement, emphasizing that the issue is “nothing serious” and that his focus is on regaining full fitness for next week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Penge, ranked 39th in the world, shared the news on X, stating, “Unfortunately I have had to WD from this week at Myrtle Beach due to health reasons. It’s nothing serious—I just need to get fully fit for next week at the PGA Championship.” Penge’s withdrawal marks the sixth player to exit the Myrtle Beach Classic this week, joining Andrew Putnam and Austin Smotherman, who also withdrew but were promoted to the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow following their own exits from the PGA Tour event. With the field reduced, alternates Troy Merritt and James Hahn were added to complete the tournament line-up at Dunes Golf and Beach Club in South Carolina. Brooks Koepka leads the field for the opposite-field PGA Tour event. The 39th-ranked player has experienced a meteoric rise in recent years, securing his PGA Tour card for the 2026 season after a standout 2025 campaign on the DP World Tour. During that season, he claimed three victories within six months and nearly challenged Rory McIlroy for the Race to Dubai title. His breakthrough came with a strong Masters debut last month, where he made the cut at Augusta National and finished tied for 49th. However, his rookie season on the PGA Tour has been inconsistent, with five missed cuts in 11 starts.#pga_tour #oneflight_myrtle_beach_classic #truist_championship #quail_hollow #marco_penge
Rory McIlroy: Back-to-back Masters champion 'more motivated than ever' before PGA Tour return Rory McIlroy is preparing to return to competitive golf after a three-week hiatus following his second consecutive Masters Tournament victory. The world number two, who became the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Green Jackets at Augusta National, is set to tee it up at this week’s Truist Championship. Speaking ahead of his PGA Tour return, McIlroy expressed heightened motivation, calling himself “more motivated than I’ve ever been” since securing his second Masters title. McIlroy’s recent success at Augusta National marked a significant milestone in his career. Last year, he completed the career Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open after a play-off victory over Justin Rose. This year’s Masters win, which saw him defeat Scottie Scheffler, felt different in its aftermath. “Even winning felt different,” McIlroy said. “I felt like winning the Grand Slam was going to be this life-changing thing, and in some ways it was, but I had to remember I still have a lot of my career left. I want to keep playing and competing.” He described the victory as validation for years of hard work, emphasizing his determination to continue winning majors. The 37-year-old Northern Irishman’s path to this moment was not without challenges. Last year, he experienced a post-Masters slump, failing to contend at the U.S. PGA Championship and U.S. Open before finishing in the top 10 at the Open Championship in his home county of County Down. However, he rebounded by winning his second Irish Open title and contributing to Europe’s Ryder Cup victory over the United States in New York. This year’s post-Masters period was less hectic, allowing him to focus on his next goals.#rory_mcilroy #masters_tournament #augusta_national #truist_championship #quail_hollow
Rory McIlroy: 'More Motivated' Than Ever After Masters Win Rory McIlroy said he feels "more motivated" than ever as he prepares for a busy stretch of tournaments following his second consecutive Masters title. The world’s No. 2-ranked player, who slipped the green jacket for a second time after becoming just the fourth player in 90 years to win back-to-back Masters, emphasized that his focus remains on future challenges. The six-time major champion is set to compete in the PGA Championship next week and the U.S. Open in July, with this week’s Truist Championship at Quail Hollow serving as his first event since the Masters. McIlroy, 37, described his post-Masters break as "less hectic" than the previous year, noting he spent much of his time at his home in Jupiter, Florida. He briefly visited New York with his wife, Erica Stoll, and attended a White House state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla. However, he opted against traditional post-win celebrations, such as returning to Northern Ireland to mark the occasion. His parents, who had already traveled to the U.S. to witness his Masters triumph, skipped last year’s event to avoid any perceived bad luck. The golfer also chose to minimize media obligations, prioritizing time with his daughter, Poppy, for tennis lessons. "I gave myself a good 10 days to enjoy myself and then thought I needed to get back on the range and start to practice," McIlroy said. This approach allowed him to recharge mentally and physically ahead of the upcoming tournaments. The Truist Championship at Quail Hollow holds special significance for McIlroy, as it marks his first PGA Tour victory 16 years ago and includes four career wins on the course.#rory_mcilroy #queen_camilla #king_charles_iii #eric_stoll #truist_championship
