Aaron Rai made history on Sunday, dazzling fans with a series of remarkable shots that led him to victory at the PGA Championship. With his win, Rai became the first English-born golfer in over a hundred years to claim the prestigious title.
Rai, whose childhood aspirations leaned towards becoming a Formula 1 driver before golf captured his imagination, found himself three strokes behind as he approached the halfway point at Aronimink Golf Club. It was then that he unleashed a performance that befitted a champion.
The turning point came with a stunning 40-foot eagle putt on the ninth hole, a par-5, which was part of a remarkable run where he one-putted seven consecutive greens, seizing the lead from the competition.
As the final holes loomed, and his rivals hoped for a misstep, Rai delivered a breathtaking 70-foot birdie putt on the 17th green, essentially sealing his victory. This was a defining moment for the 31-year-old, who also made history as the first player of Indian descent to win a major, finishing with an impressive 5-under 65.
Among those in contention were notable names like Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Rose. Each had their opportunities to challenge Rai, but they fell victim to critical errors or missed birdie opportunities. McIlroy, closing with a 69, struggled particularly on the par 5s, managing only even par for the week, and faltered with a bogey on the reachable par-4 13th.
Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose, they all had their chances and until they were undone by untimely mistakes or failure to get good looks at birdie. McIlroy, who closed with a 69, played the par 5s in even for the week and he chopped up the reachable par-4 13th for a bogey.
Rai, who finished at 9-under 271, is the first player from England with his name on the Wanamaker Trophy since Jim Barnes in 1919, the second edition of this major and the first after World War I.
He wound up winning by three shots over 54-hole leader Alex Smalley and Rahm, who had his best finish in a major since defecting to LIV Golf at the end of 2023. Rahm was slowed by a pair of bogeys on the front nine, and managed only one birdie on the back nine for a 68.
Smalley lost the lead with a messy double bogey on the sixth hole, and his best golf was too late. Rai already had his eye on the Wanamaker Trophy.
Justin Thomas made a 16-foot par putt on the final hole for a 65 and pulled him within one shot of the lead as the final group was in the second fairway. For the longest time, as Aronimink got tougher and the pressure got tighter, it looked like Thomas might have a chance.
Like everything else on this final day, Rai ended those hopes, too.
So ended a most remarkable week in the Philadelphia suburbs, where no one could separate themselves on Aronimink. The 22 players within four shots of the lead going into the final round was a PGA Championship record.
From that pack emerged the 31-year-old Rai, with one PGA Tour title, three on the European tour, and no finishes inside the top 15 at any of the majors.
He might not be well known among casual observers, but he is a star in the eyes of his peers for his humility and gracious personality.
“You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him,” McIlroy said.
“Super pumped for him and his team,” Schauffele said. “All-world gentleman, no doubt.”
He wears two gloves, a habit he started as a kid in England to battle the cold winters when he was practicing – and he was always practicing. Even more unusual for Rai is the plastic covers on each iron, a reminder of his roots.
He once said his father sacrificed to buy the nicest golf clubs and then would clean the grooves with baby oil after his son was done playing. Rai has left the iron covers on since then “to remember where I cam from and to respect what I have.”
Now he has his name on the Wanamaker Trophy and his place in history.
