Imago
Imago/Colorsport
Imago
Imago/Colorsport
Rory McIlroy sat down for his post-round press conference on Friday at Aronimink. He had a sharp opinion ready, matching that of Scottie Scheffler, surprisingly not about his game but about the people who set up the course. His view, however, has not impressed the fans, and the golf world has a lot to say about it.
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“The only thing I would say is I think a bunched leaderboard like this is a sign of not a great setup. I think when it’s as bunched as it is, because it hasn’t really enabled anyone to separate themselves.”
“I think the setup is, like, the golf course is good, the pins were tough, and the wind was what it was as well, but I just think, yeah, I, you know, I’ve always felt like really good setups, that it starts to spread the field a bit, and not great setups sort of bring everyone together, and I feel like that’s what’s happened the last two days,” he told the media.
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Going into the weekend, 27 players sat within four shots of the lead, including seven former major winners. Players like Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley shared the 36-hole lead at four under, with McIlroy sitting five back.
Rory McIlroy shot 67 in Round 2, but that came after a disastrous opening 74 on Thursday. He himself called his first round “shit.” In fact, his driver was all over the place on both days, but the point remains: the setup did not change between the rounds. His ball striking did.
McIlroy missed fairway after fairway on Thursday, which meant he was constantly approaching greens from difficult angles, possibly the worst possible position when flags are tucked in the trickiest corners. His four closing bogeys on day one came directly from that chain of errors.
But he is far from being the only one complaining about pins. Scottie Scheffler has called it the hardest pin location he has seen, harder than the US Open and even Oakmont. He said most of the pins were “kind of absurd.” Even Shane Lowry put it plainly, saying that there was not a single pin “in a bowl” all day and that “every pin felt like a bonnet on the car.”
On severely sloped greens like those at Aronimink, a pin tucked on a ridge or near the edge of a slope becomes nearly impossible to target directly. The first two days were windy, and the margin for error shrinks even further.
🚨⛳️👎 #NOT GREAT — Rory McIlroy sounds off on the course setup at Aronimink: “I think a bunched leaderboard like this, I think it’s a sign of a not-great setup… it hasn’t really enabled anyone to separate themselves…”
You agree with Rory? pic.twitter.com/Xn5281kGSe
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 16, 2026
Kerry Haigh, the PGA of America’s chief championships officer, has spent more than three decades overseeing PGA Championship setups. Unsurprisingly, at Aronimink Golf Club, the course was specifically adjusted to increase the challenge level for the world’s best players.
Haigh’s philosophy revolves around balancing a demanding test while still rewarding high-quality golf shots. Officials narrowed fairways, increased rough height, and adjusted tee boxes to bring more bunkers into play. They also altered the setup on the par-4 13th to force players into more difficult strategic decisions.
McIlroy’s comments sparked a wider debate about course setup, competitive balance, and whether the PGA of America pushed Aronimink too far, but many fans still believe the players, not the setup, are ultimately responsible for execution.
Fans Call Out Rory McIlroy’s Comments on Aronimink Set Up
One fan went straight at players who criticize the course after a rough round: “These tour pros that have a so-so round and then complain about the setup, pin positions, and course conditions really need to stfu and just golf.”
Another fan saw it completely differently: “This is literally my favorite kind of golf to watch.”
Compared to the Masters or U.S. Open, the PGA Championship has often been viewed as the least distinctive major. But this week’s crowded leaderboard has created genuine tension heading into the weekend. Fans know that the championship is still wide open.
Another commented on his disagreement with Rory’s performance: “Or in other words, I don’t believe I can win this week.”
Two other reactions pushed back on his criticism from a golf perspective: “Disagree with Rory on this one. This course setup has been awesome, and it’s truly showing the players’ skill set and imagination. The tougher the course, the better the major.”
Another wrote, “Couldn’t disagree more. Pretty bizarre take.”
Chris Gotterup shot the low round of the week with a five-under 65, despite still calling some pin locations aggressive. Patrick Reed also summed it up clearly: if you hit a great iron shot, you can still get close. The course was demanding but not unplayable.
Other fans kept it even simpler: “Totally disagree! The average viewer wants to see these guys put to the test at major championships and should be setup this way.”
With a packed leaderboard, the Wanamaker Trophy remains completely open heading into the weekend. Whether that is proof of a bad setup or a brilliant one depends entirely on perspective.
Written by
Edited by
Riya Singhal