The trickery and sorcery offered by the Donald Ross classic for the first two days was replaced in the third round by a kinder examination which presented a chance for progress on so-called moving day in this 108th US PGA Championship at Aronimink. Yet, while there was a plethora of hot scoring in the lovely conditions, there remained a logjam towards the business end of the leaderboard, where American Alex Smalley claimed the 54-hole lead.Smalley, a 29-year-old who has worked his way through the different levels of tour golf following the Walker Cup in 2019, but still seeking a first win on the PGA Tour, shot a 68 for 204, six-under, to hold a two strokes lead over a quintet of players which featured Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Aaron Rai, Nick Taylor and Matti Schmid.The native New Yorker’s round, which closed with a birdie on the tough 18th, was especially impressive for recovering from a nervy start which saw him bogey three of his opening four holes before getting back on track, turning in 37 but coming home in 31 for Smalley to stand alone at the top.For Rory McIlroy, though, the forward momentum was sufficient to throw him right into the middle of it all with the tantalising prospect of adding the Wanamaker Trophy to his Masters green jacket of a month ago a live ambition.The Northern Irishman may be still missing his A-game with the driver in hand, but was sufficiently proficient to produce a 66 for three-under-par 207 in tied-seventh to lie just three shots adrift of Smalley.Alex Smalley of the United States hits a tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink. Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, again struggled with his putter – ranked 66th in the field with the mallet in hand, missing four putts inside seven feet in the third round – as he finished with a bogey five on the difficult 18th to sign for a 71 for 209 with a five-shot deficit on the solo leader.Where there had been complaints from many players about the course set-up for the opening two rounds, there were few complaints in a third round. While the wind strengthened as the day progressed, the course offered scoring opportunities for those who managed to find fairways and then follow up with approaches to greens where flags were more kindly positioned in bowls rather than cresting spines.McIlroy’s round of six birdies and two bogeys, the second of those coming after his tee shot to the par 3 17th finished in a fried egg lie in a greenside bunker, moved him to within touching distance of the leaders, a far cry from a desperate visit to the range on Thursday night to sort out an issue with his driving.“I feel like I still did enough to think I have a chance,” said McIlroy, who has improved with each day – starting with a 74 that was followed by a 67 and then a 66 in the third round that could have been even better.Of managing to sort out his driving, McIlroy claimed: “I pride myself on managing my game well and learning as I go and trying to, I guess, problem solve as the week goes on. There were some things in my game, especially in the driver, I didn’t like on Thursday, so I went and I worked on it, tried to get a feeling that I was comfortable with.“I’ve certainly driven the ball better the last couple of days. Still not perfect, but much better and I’m giving myself opportunities from the fairways and being able to make more birdies because of it.”McIlroy placed among the most crowded leaderboard in the PGA Championship’s long history, with 30 players under par headed into the final round in a six-stroke blanket of those in red numbers.Pádraig Harrington flirted with his old Major flair for quite a part of his third round, ultimately settling for a 67 for a total of level-par 210 for tied-31st.For a time, as Harrington turned in 32, it looked as if the 54-year-old Dubliner – who mainly plays on the Champions Tour these days, but who is in the field as a past champion – would make even greater inroads up the leaderboard only to stall on the way home.Troubled leg cramp for a time on that homeward run, Harrington stuck to his task to the point where there was a degree of disappointment that he hadn’t signed for a better score in wonderful sunny conditions.“I definitely left a few out there,” acknowledged Harrington, adding: “In terms of winning the tournament, I probably needed those two or three shots I left out there today ... the key for me is not to come here feeling like I’ve got to be perfect and have my everything go right for me, and clearly everything hasn’t gone right for me so far this week, and I’m still doing okay. I know I still can be competitive.”Shane Lowry’s 70 for 214 had the Offalyman in tied-64th through 54 holes, his chances of winning realistically gone, but with the chance to improve his FedEx Cup standings.