Different Strokes for Different Folks at Aronimink

One of my favorite things about a proper major championship is when the course is set up so that players with different skill sets can thrive, even if they have to do it in different ways. This is one reason why I’m pleased with Aronimink so far, and I would point to two players as an example: Maverick McNealy and Aldrich Potgieter.

McNealy is tied with Alex Smalley at 4 under for the 36-hole lead, and it’s fair to say this is unfamiliar territory for McNealy. The 30-year-old has not been much of a factor in majors in his six years on the PGA Tour. His best finish in 13 career majors was a T-18 at this year’s Masters. But McNealy has done something impressive since getting his card in 2020. He’s gradually gotten better each year of his career (minus one slump in 2023), and this week he’s climbed into contention with great iron play. He’s always been viewed as a great putter, but McNealy’s putter has been relatively cold this week. He is ball-striking his way into contention in a way that has even surprised him. He said he didn’t feel particularly confident about his game coming in.

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“I’m really excited to test my game in ways it hasn't been tested before, and I think this is the next step for me as a professional is competing and playing well in this type of tournament,” he said.

On the flip side, Potgieter (normally known for his prodigious power) has been riding a hot putter into contention. Only Smalley (+2.92) has putted better than the 21-year-old Potgieter (+2.80). That’s helped mask some weaknesses in his short game, which were evident at the Masters. Potgieter isn’t fully formed as a player, but he has as much horsepower as anyone in golf, including Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. He was leading the championship for much of the day before a pair of late bogeys.

“It was nice for me to kind of get to that point where I lost the lead and I was like, well, now we can just go and attack again and kind of be in that position where I'm not really thinking about it too much,” Potgieter said. “I think if we can kind of keep that mindset going for the weekend and kind of stay inside a reaching range but also attack a little bit, I think it will be good.”

I don’t know that either will be in the mix on Sunday. Potgieter might be a budding star, and McNealy feels more like a solid veteran who might creep onto his first President’s Cup team if this keeps up. But a course setup that allows both of them to score in different ways? Count me in for an entertaining weekend.