Englishman Aaron Rai broke out of a bunched leaderboard Sunday, May 17, at the 108th PGA Championship to win his first career major.
Rai shot a 5-under 65, tied with Justin Thomas for the second-best score of the day, and finished 9-under par for the tournament at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.
He defeated two-time major champion Jon Rahm and third-round leader Alex Smalley by three strokes and a trio of others, including Thomas, by four. Masters champion Rory McIlroy finished five shots back.
MORE: Meet Aaron Rai’s wife, pro golfer Gaurika Bishnoi, before final round of PGA Championship
The 31-year-old claimed the $3.69 million top prize to go along with the vaunted Wanamaker Trophy.
“Very surreal, Amanda,” Rai told CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis after the trophy presentation. “As you said, it has been a bit of a frustrating season. So to be … here is definitely outside of my wildest imagination.”
Standing out in a crowd
Rai started the day in a five-way tie for second, two shots behind Smalley. But after a slow start, he tied for the lead with an eagle on the ninth hole and never looked back.
He removed all doubt when he drained a 68-foot putt on the 17th hole. The putt extended his lead to four strokes.
After that, the four remaining golfers on the course were playing for second place.
Rai’s lone PGA Tour win came at the 2024 Wyndham Championship. He has three victories on the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European PGA.
The one-time PGA winner is known for a couple of oddities. He wears two black golf gloves — most players wear one glove — and uses head covers for his irons as well as his woods.
He shared his first major championship with his wife, Gaurika Bishnoi, who also is a pro golfer. Bishnoi, 27, plays on the Ladies European Tour but was in attendance for the final round.
Bishnoi caddied for Rai in April when he won the Masters Par 3 Contest. Rai ended up in a tie for 48th at the Masters.