Who is Ben Kern? Ohio club pro scores six birdies at PGA Championship

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Ben Kern had the round of his life May 15 at the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The 41-year-old general manager at Hickey Hills Golf Club outside of Columbus, Ohio, made six birdies to card a 67 in the tournament's second round.

One of 20 club professionals in the field, Kern is 1-over for the tournament and on the verge of making the weekend. It would be a rare major cut by a club pro.

Kern missed the cut in his last PGA Championship appearance in 2023. Here's a look at his surprising run in the PGA Championship:

Ben Kern's PGA Championship 2026 scorecard

• Round 1: +4 74 (three birdies, four bogeys, one triple-bogey)
• Round 2: -3 67 (six birdies, three bogeys)

Will Ben Kern make the PGA Championship 2026 cut?

Kern was one of the early finishers on May 15, but at +1 for the tournament, he sat tied for 40th in the field shortly before 3 p.m. ET.

As of 1:05 p.m. ET at the 2026 PGA Championship, the projected cut line was +3 based on the scores of the top 70 golfers (and ties) on the current leaderboard. All golfers with a score of +3 or better would make it to the weekend at Aronimink Golf Club.