Sports
Alex Smalley, Maverick McNealy atop cluttered PGA leaderboard
May 15, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Alex Smalley reacts on the fourth hole during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley, two players without a regular-season win or a major top-15 on their resume, will enter the weekend tied for the lead at the PGA Championship and in prime position to earn a career-changing win at Aronimink Golf Club.
McNealy and Smalley finished Friday’s second round at 4-under-par 136 for the championship, and another 13 players are within two shots, setting up an unpredictable weekend at the second major of the year.
Smalley posted a 69 during the morning wave to set the clubhouse lead, and McNealy was the first player all week to touch 6 under before two late bogeys set him back. They’re one in front of Chris Gotterup (5-under 65), Max Greyserman (69), Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (67), South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter (70), Australian Min Woo Lee (70) and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger (70).
Of that top eight, McNealy, Smalley, Gotterup, Greyserman, Potgieter, Lee and Jaeger have a mere two top-10 finishes at majors among them. Only Matsuyama has prevailed on this stage before, when he captured the 2021 Masters.
But the group at 2 under features heavy hitters who could apply pressure Saturday. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler bogeyed three of his first four holes and settled for a 71, but he’s only two back along with Cameron Young (67), Justin Thomas (69), Harris English (67), Ludvig Aberg of Sweden (66), Si Woo Kim of South Korea (67) and David Puig of Spain (67).
Smalley, one of seven co-leaders after one round, was the first of three players to forge a solo lead at 5 under only to give it all back. He played the back nine — the more difficult half of the course — in 2 under par but proceeded to bogey Nos. 1, 2 and 3. He bounced back with a birdie at No. 4 before pitching his third shot at the par-5 ninth to 14 inches.
It was Potgieter’s turn next, as the 21-year-old birdied Nos. 3 and 9 and spent most of the back nine at 5 under. But he stumbled on his last two holes, bogeying both to drop back to where he began.
That made way for McNealy, who rebounded from a bogey at No. 15 with an eagle 3 at No. 16 and added birdies at Nos. 1, 2, 5 to hit 6 under. Then a short par putt slid by at No. 6, he missed the green at the tricky par-3 eighth and a decision to chip with the toe of his putter didn’t pan out, producing another bogey.
Gotterup’s 65 is the best round of the tournament so far. Ranked No. 10 in the world, he burst onto the scene with last year’s Scottish Open title and third-place finish at the Open Championship before he won two events on the PGA Tour this winter. Gotterup birdied Nos. 7, 8 and 9 at the end of his round to surge up the leaderboard.
Jaeger managed to par all 18 holes Friday, while Greyserman, a native of New Jersey like Gotterup, chipped in for eagle on his final hole, the par-5 ninth.
The cut line was expected to settle at 4 over par as the top 70 players and ties qualify for the weekend. The highest-ranked player who’ll miss the cut is World No. 6 Tommy Fleetwood of England (5 over), along with Norway’s Viktor Hovland (6 over), U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun (6 over), Keegan Bradley (6 over) and Bryson DeChambeau (7 over).
Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy, who described his first-round 74 as “s—,” rebounded to shoot a bogey-free 67. The World No. 2 moved to 1 over to comfortably make the cut.
Ben Kern was the only PGA teaching professional of 20 in the field to make the cut. Kern racked up six birdies amid a round of 67 to get to 1 over.
–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Deby
Jun 27, 2021; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade (8) plays the ball against D.C. United defender Donovan Pines (23) before scoring his goal during the second half of a game between D.C. United and NYCFC at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images In a hotly contested Hudson River Derby, host New York Red Bulls and New York City FC battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (5-5-4, 19 points), and Andres Perea scored on a header off a free kick by Nicolas Fernandez for New York City (5-5-4, 19 points).
In the 44th minute, Ronald Donkor played a pass wide to Davi Alexandre, whose cross drew three defenders to Julian Hall. The pass was deflected to Ruvalcaba, who cleaned up the loose ball for a 1-0 lead.
New York City leveled the match in the 52nd minute on a set piece when Perea headed Fernandez’s free kick inside the back post.
The rivalry match heated up in the 22nd minute when twin yellow cards were issued. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Agustin Ojeda collided while both tracking a soaring pass.
When Marshall-Rutty stood, he hovered over Ojeda, who sprang up and was shoved by the Red Bulls defender. Players from both clubs quickly gathered, and yellow cards were issued to Marshall-Rutty and Raul Gustavo after he joined the fray.
Second-half substitute Malachi Jones quickly made his presence felt, slicing a shot from the penalty area over the crossbar in the 47th minute.
Jones pressed again in the 59th minute, blasting a right-footed shot that forced Ethan Horvath into a diving save. Moments later, a long pass sent Jones into a 1-on-1 with Horvath, who punched away a sizzling shot.
Nicolas Fernandez’s free kick sailed through traffic in the 72nd minute. Horvath jumped into the mixer and was knocked down as the ball struck the post before being cleared.
The Red Bulls threatened in the 78th minute as Adri Mehmeti’s chip shot clipped the crossbar. Matt Freese handled Hall’s close-range shot in the 89th minute.
Horvath had five saves for the Red Bulls, while Freese was credited with three for NYCFC.
NYCFC veteran midfielder Maxi Moralez exited the match on a stretcher in the 35th minute with an apparent knee injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres go up early, improve to 5-0 this season against Mariners
May 16, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Gavin Sheets (30) runs to the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Richard Dizon-Imagn Images Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos and rookie Rodolfo Duran homered as the San Diego Padres defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-4 on Saturday.
The Padres improved to 5-0 against Seattle this season.
Right-hander Walker Buehler (3-2) went five innings for the victory. He allowed two runs on five hits, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada worked the ninth for his first save of the season.
J.P. Crawford homered for the Mariners.
The Padres opened the scoring in the top of the second as Sheets led off with a homer to right field.
With one out in the fourth, Manny Machado and Sheets drew back-to-back walks off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, and Xander Bogaerts lined a single to left to load the bases. Miguel Andujar grounded into a forceout to third base, with Machado scoring on the play. Castellanos hit the next pitch over the wall in left-center field to make it 5-0.
The Mariners got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Josh Naylor led off with a single to right and Randy Arozarena walked. With one out, Cole Young lined a run-scoring single to right.
Crawford went deep to right with one out in the fifth, his solo shot pulling Seattle within 5-2. Despite his pitch count reaching 101, Buehler was able to get through the inning to qualify for the victory.
With two outs in the seventh, Ramon Laureano doubled to right-center and Duran followed his his first major league hit in his fourth game — a two-run shot to left — to extend San Diego’s lead to 7-2 and end Gilbert’s night.
Gilbert (2-4) allowed seven runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and fanned five.
The Mariners pulled within 7-4 in the eighth. Julio Rodriguez led off with a single and stole second. Naylor walked, and a double steal put runners on second and third. Rodriguez scored on Arozarena’s infield single and Naylor came home on a groundout by Young.
Rodriguez robbed Duran of a second two-run homer with a leaping catch at the wall in right-center to end the top of the ninth.
Seattle manager Dan Wilson was ejected by first-base umpire Chad Fairchild in the fourth inning for arguing a check-swing call.
Mariners third baseman Brendan Donovan and catcher Mitch Garver were both late scratches from the starting lineup. No immediate word was available for their absences.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Derby
Jun 27, 2021; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade (8) plays the ball against D.C. United defender Donovan Pines (23) before scoring his goal during the second half of a game between D.C. United and NYCFC at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images In a hotly contested Hudson River Derby, host New York Red Bulls and New York City FC battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (5-5-4, 19 points), and Andres Perea scored on a header off a free kick by Nicolas Fernandez for New York City (5-5-4, 19 points).
In the 44th minute, Ronald Donkor played a pass wide to Davi Alexandre, whose cross drew three defenders to Julian Hall. The pass was deflected to Ruvalcaba, who cleaned up the loose ball for a 1-0 lead.
New York City leveled the match in the 52nd minute on a set piece when Perea headed Fernandez’s free kick inside the back post.
The rivalry match heated up in the 22nd minute when twin yellow cards were issued. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Agustin Ojeda collided while both tracking a soaring pass.
When Marshall-Rutty stood, he hovered over Ojeda, who sprang up and was shoved by the Red Bulls defender. Players from both clubs quickly gathered, and yellow cards were issued to Marshall-Rutty and Raul Gustavo after he joined the fray.
Second-half substitute Malachi Jones quickly made his presence felt, slicing a shot from the penalty area over the crossbar in the 47th minute.
Jones pressed again in the 59th minute, blasting a right-footed shot that forced Ethan Horvath into a diving save. Moments later, a long pass sent Jones into a 1-on-1 with Horvath, who punched away a sizzling shot.
Nicolas Fernandez’s free kick sailed through traffic in the 72nd minute. Horvath jumped into the mixer and was knocked down as the ball struck the post before being cleared.
The Red Bulls threatened in the 78th minute as Adri Mehmeti’s chip shot clipped the crossbar. Matt Freese handled Hall’s close-range shot in the 89th minute.
Horvath had five saves for the Red Bulls, while Freese was credited with three for NYCFC.
NYCFC veteran midfielder Maxi Moralez exited the match on a stretcher in the 35th minute with an apparent knee injury.
–Field Level Media
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Deby
Padres go up early, improve to 5-0 this season against Mariners
