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Heading into Sunday’s final round of the 2026 PGA Championship, it felt like it was anyone’s game, because it practically was. An unprecedented 21 players were within four shots of 54-hole leader Alex Smalley, but it was England’s Aaron Rai who managed to break away from the pack at Aronimink and never look back on his way to becoming a major champion.
Rai, who entered the week ranked 44th in the world, came out of the gates Sunday fired up, but after making a four-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, he quickly fell into the inevitable stretch every player faces during the final round of being patient and taking what the golf course gives him.
Aaron Rai of England tees off on the 2nd hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) (David Cannon/Getty Images)
After a poor tee shot on the difficult par-3 8th hole, then airmailing the green with his bunker shot, disaster soon entered the equation, but the 31-year-old managed to convert a four-foot putt for bogey. It was one of those bogeys that was a momentum saver and the momentum was used on the very next hole.
Rai reached the gettable par-5 9th hole in two and sank a 40-footer for eagle. It was a nice bonus heading into the back nine, which played as the toughest side during the week, but Rai did not subscribe to that narrative on Sunday.
As the entire field and the golf tournament as a whole dropped into neutral for what felt like several hours, with the final groups on the way, Rai stepped on the gas.
Aaron Rai of England hits his second shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) (David Cannon/Getty Images)
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After picking up another birdie on the par-4 11th, it was his birdie on the 299-yard par-4 13th that he can look back on as the moment.
Left with a very crooked bunker shot from 40 yards, Rai had the opportunity to play it relatively safe and leave himself 20 feet up the hill for birdie. Or he could fly the golf ball to the hole and bring in a slope that falls away from the hole just behind the flag. He didn’t hesitate and walked off the green with another birdie and a two-shot advantage.
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Despite the 13th hole being driveable for all players in the field, Rai’s birdie actually got a shot at many of the competition on Sunday. Nick Taylor, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele each bogeyed the hole, while Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed and Smalley were also unable to capitalize on the short hole.
Rai officially put a hand on the door to slam it in by birdying the par-5 16th hole and making one of the more comfortable birdies you’ll ever see, officially slamming it with a 68-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.
Rai played his final 10 holes in six-under par and without a blemish on the scorecard before signing off for a 65 and a three-shot win at nine-under overall.
The five-under round marked his lowest score in a major championship by two. A major championship Sunday for the round of your life is special stuff.
Rai, who is the last man standing among the likes of Ludvig Aberg, McIlroy, Rahm, Reed and Schauffele – all of whom began the day within three shots of the lead – has an air of randomness about him that was the theme of the week at Aronimink.
Aaron Rai of England acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Entering the week, the most common prediction was that players would be able to pick apart the Donald Ross-designed golf course. Lack of trees and water hazards made way for a bomb-and-gouge approach. Or so we thought.
Rai began the week ranked 160th on the PGA Tour in average driving distance, and finished the week ranked 66th in driving distance among the 82 players who made the cut.
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While Rai is known for being among the shortest hitters on the PGA Tour, he has also made a habit of being an incredibly streaky putter. The flatstick is often a villain for Rai, but it was his best partner all week as he finished fourth in the field in strokes gained on greens.
With his victory, Rai became the first non-American to lift the Wanamaker Trophy since Australian Jason Day did so in 2015, and the first European to find the winner’s circle at the PGA since Rory McIlroy in 2014.
