Rai leaves McIlroy and Rahm in dust to win PGA | Golf News

Aaron Rai left Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm trailing in his wake as he surged to a beautiful victory at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.

The Englishman carded a five-under-par 65 to declare his first major title, enjoying his ultimate 10 holes in six under. He navigated the demanding Donald Ross format close to Philadelphia with exceptional precision, capitalizing while the larger hitters around him paid dearly for wayward drives.

Rai completed at 9 under par, three photographs forward of Rahm and 54-hole chief Alex Smalley. McIlroy, meanwhile, struggled to gain any momentum and had to settle for a top-10 end at 4 under. His event concluded on an unsavory observe, snapping at a fan on the sixteenth gap and having him eliminated from the course.

Wolverhampton native Rai started the day at 4 under, immediately going on the offensive with a birdie at the first. A bogey at the third briefly derailed him, but he bounced back with another birdie to keep in competition.

Dropped photographs at six and eight appeared to critically injury his prospects, until a beautiful 40-foot eagle putt at the par-five tenth reignited his charge.

Rai refused to let up after that pivotal second, carding birdies at the eleventh, thirteenth and sixteenth holes, before delivering the defining shot of his event at the par-three seventeenth.

Following a cautious tee shot, he drained a breathtaking 68-footer to put the end result past doubt.

The second drew comparisons to J.J. Spaun’s exceptional long-range putt 11 months in the past that sealed the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Entering the week ranked No. 44 in the world, Rai remodeled his profession by becoming a member of the elite membership of major champions.

The victory marks his second on the PGA Tour, incomes him a lifetime exemption for the PGA Championship and a five-year exemption for the remaining majors.