'I Can Only Advance 50, 60 Yards' Patrick Reed Explains Why Aronimink Is Such a Tough PGA Test 

His remarks followed a Saturday round where difficult conditions, windy weather, and tricky roughs forced the entire field into a defensive mindset.

Not even the fairway can give the players peace, as Reed mentioned that the difficult nature of the greens, as well as the pin placements of this course, is actually affecting the current standings this weekend.

“But there are so many flags this week that are either right on a crown or right in a valley where the ball — I mean, just if the ball’s two feet from the hole… It makes it so hard on putting.”

These intricate green complexes are forcing players to rethink their entire strategy as they navigate the unforgiving terrain.

Unpacking Reed’s Unforgiving Major Grind 

As tough as it is, this marks Reed’s 13th appearance in this championship, where he has five top-20 finishes recorded before now.

The 2018 Masters champion came very close to glory at the PGA Championship in 2017, with a runner-up at Quail Hollow.

Playing this week directly after the Masters due to contract and suspension rules tied to his final appearance on that tour, he became ineligible for standard PGA Tour events until August 2026.

Despite the hiatus, Reed kept his skills with short plays that may become an advantage on a course like Aronimink.

“We’re the best players in the world, so when they throw a really hard challenge at us, that’s when the top players are going to show up.”

With such a tough course that is likely to punish mistakes on the final day, Reed enters the final round tied for seventh, looking to record his best finish at the PGA Championship.