The flatstick has been holding Ludvig Aberg back this week and he's just shoved a 12-foot birdie putt past the third hole.

It'll be par.

Aaron Rai would be thrilled to save par after overshooting the green with his second but he sees his seven-foot swirl the cup and stay out.

Those can't be missed at this time in the tournament.

Matti Schmid has not settled at all. He hurries a birdie putt five feet past and when he misses the return, it means three putts and a disappointing bogey start for the German.

Alex Smalley can't make a birdie either but is way more measured with his first putt leaving a tap-in par.

JT finds the green with his tee shot on the 17th but he's 40 feet away and can only tickle the ball up close.

It's a par and staying at -5 going down the last. With how some of the favourites have started, he'll surely have to pick up another birdie to close.

And there it is! Jon Rahm rolls in the birdie putt on the second to join Alex Smalley in the lead on six under.

It's 10 feet, right-to-left and Rahm rolls in absolutely perfectly to drop it in the front of the cup. The Spaniard has started like a train.

Another birdie chance goes begging for Justin Rose.

He's only a third of the way into his round but one or two of these need to start dropping soon.

Scottie Scheffler is just not hitting it close enough to the hole over the last couple to stand a chance of making any birdies.

He's in the front bunker at the 13th - which is a good example of how good Aronimink is as a golf course, as it's just a short par four only around 300 yards all week yet world number one Scheffler hasn't birdied it once in three attempts.

He's just wrapped up his tournament Will in typical Jordan Spieth style - a stunning 40-foot birdie putt at the 18th.

That's a two-under 68 and gets him into the red for the tournament.

Shooting 68 every day would probably have won this championship. He's just not consistent enough these days.

Matti Schmid is playing from over by the barrier down the left but has no problem finding the heart of the green and running his ball into around 20 feet.

Ditto Alex Smalley from a miles better position.

Can either of them land an early blow with a birdie here?

Jon Rahm is at it again on the second - a mullered drive right down the middle and a short iron onto the green with an excellent look at a birdie to join the lead...

Another lovely drive leaves Rory McIlroy in attack position at the third and he controls a nice wedge from 131 yards to set up a 12-foot look for a second successive birdie.

No! It shaves the right edge and he looks to the heavens.

Xander Schauffele can't convert from a similar distance so he remains even for the round.

Image source, Getty Images

The names are really gathering behind Alex Smalley.

I said Justin Thomas needed a birdie at 16 and after splashing out of the bunker to eight feet, he's confidently put that away.

I hope you're sitting comfortably. This is shaping up to be a terrific battle.

Mustard from Jon Rahm at the first hole - dead centre of the fairway off the tee then an approach to seven feet and roll in the birdie putt.

Easy work. Rahm goes to five under and looking like he means business.

Justin Rose gets a free drop on the sixth and takes advantage with a laser-guided iron shot into nine feet.

The 45-year-old has a birdie putt incoming.

Ludvig Aberg is the latest to reach -5 with a super approach out of the rough to inside three feet at the second hole. A straightforward birdie.

Par for Aaron Rai.

Quite why anyone shouts 'get in the hole' when someone is teeing off on a 423-yard hole is beyond me.

But nevertheless that was the refrain as Alex Smalley boomed his opening tee shot down the fairway on the first hole.

Unlike on Saturday, where he sprayed that shot right, there was not a trace of nerves to that although Matti Schmid's drive leaks well left into trouble.

Justin Thomas is taking the scenic route down the par-five 16th - the second-easiest hole on the course.

He's so far right off the tee he's actually avoided the biggest trouble but then dumps his second shot into a greenside bunker.

Needs a birdie here really.

Must be nice hitting a drive 338 yards into the wind. That's what Rory McIlroy's done at the short par-four second.

Just a flick from 63 yards on to the green - and he knocks it to five feet and makes the putt! A big cheer goes up for the Masters champion's first birdie of the day.

Xander Schauffele found sand off the tee but he picks it cleanly and spins it back down towards the cup. He can't curl the 18-footer home though. Par.

Alex Smalley established a two-shot lead overnight with a group of five players - Matti Schmid, Nick Taylor, Jon Rahm, Aaron Rai and Ludvig Åberg - leading the pursuit of the American.

It marked the first 54-hole lead of Smalley's career in his 141st start on the PGA Tour.

How will the 29-year-old have slept? Will he be able to cope with the pressure?

These are all things we'll soon find out with Smalley admitting he's never really been in this position on this type of stage before.

However, in 2018, he was stuck out as a junior at Duke University to take on a certain Scottie Scheffler, who was the University of Texas' standout senior player and won 5&4 to earn the Blue Devils a spot in the NCAA Championship semi-finals.

First blow, Aaron Rai!

He's plotted that hole superbly with a laser straight drive and a supreme approach to inside five feet.

Slot away the birdie and he's one off the lead.

Partner Ludvig Aberg is in for a par.

How did that not drop?

Justin Rose looks to the heavens as his birdie putt on the fourth lips out. It looked in all the way.

That was perfect tee to green though. More of the same and there'll be plenty more opportunities on the way.