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Rai wins PGA at Aronimink
Aaron Rai became the first Englishman in 107 years to win the PGA Championship on Sunday, clinching his first major title at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia.
“Rai became became the first Englishman in 107 years to win the PGA Championship on Sunday”
Rai, a 31-year-old from Wolverhampton, finished with a 65 and ended at 9 under par, winning by three shots over Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley.
The decisive stretch came after Rai’s 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth, and he followed with a 68-foot birdie putt on the 17th green to take a three-shot lead.
Rai’s final round included three bogeys and six birdies, and the win ended the long wait since “Big” Jim Barnes won the PGA in 1919.
Rai said, “Very surreal,” after closing on 18 and walking off the green clutching hands with his wife, Gaurika.
Peers praise, rivals stumble
Rai’s late surge came as the leaderboard stayed congested, with the field entering Sunday with 21 players within four shots of the lead and eight major winners among them.
Rory McIlroy said, “You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him,” after finishing tied for seventh at 4 under.
Jon Rahm, who finished tied for second, praised Rai as “nothing short of special,” saying, “What he did today is nothing short of special.”
The New York Times described Rai’s key moments as a 40-foot eagle putt on 9 and a 209-yard approach into the 16th green that helped seal the deal, with Rai finishing at 9 under par after shooting a final-round 65.
CBS News reported that Rai made a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth during a stretch when he one-putted seven straight greens to take the lead.
A first major, and a legacy
Rai’s victory made him the first English-born player in more than a century to capture the PGA Championship, and it placed his name on the Wanamaker Trophy after the last English winner in 1919.
“It had been 107 years since an Englishman last won the PGA”
The Guardian framed the moment as an end to a long-standing English jinx, noting that it had been 107 years since an Englishman last won the PGA and that the wait was “excruciatingly tense” in the final hours.
BBC Sport highlighted Rai’s unorthodox methods, including that he wears two gloves, and Rai explained, “I just happened to be given two gloves and I got into the habit of wearing them.”
Sky Sports reported that Rai banked a $3.69m (£2.76m) cheque and a lifetime exemption to play at the PGA Championship.
As Rai reflected on the win, he told Golf Planète that he was “incredibly, incredibly proud” to be the first Englishman to win the event in so long.
