PGA Championship : Aronimink GC Leaderboard Results
Aaron Rai won his first Major title at the US PGA Championship with a back-nine masterclass in composure that blew the field away at Aronimink Golf Club.
He entered the final day two shots off the lead and at +1 through eight holes of his round, there was little sign of the brilliance to come.
An eagle on the ninth then helped set in motion a back nine of 31 where he simply did not put a foot wrong.
His 68-foot putt for birdie on the 17th will be the most remembered of his 65 blows that got him to -9 and handed him a three-shot victory over Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley.
With victory, Rai becomes just the 14th non-American to lift the Wanamaker Trophy and the first Englishman since 1919 when ‘Long’ Jim Barnes won the second ever US PGA Championship three years after also winning the inaugural contest.
The win is Rai’s fourth on the DP World Tour and first since he won a second Rolex Series title at November’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
His only win so far in 2026 was at the Masters Par Three Tournament alongside wife Gaurika but Major glory now moves him up to 5th on the Race to Dubai Rankings.
"It's been a bit of a frustrating season," said Rai, who has struggled with back and neck injuries in 2026. "So to be stood here is definitely outside of my wildest imagination.
"But I think just really good consistency over the last few weeks in terms of practice, body's been feeling great, and really enjoyed the course this week and continued to hold the rounds together as the week went on. Phenomenal to be stood here.
"It definitely feels like a journey. Everyone playing in the field this week has a great journey to be able to share, and I'm no exception to that.
"So much goes into it from being a junior golfer to developing the game to have aspirations of turning professional. Then you realise once you turn professional how good some of these guys are and how strong the level of professional golf is, not just on the PGA TOUR, the DP World Tour, and all the feeders that go into it.
"So, yeah, it's a really long journey to even get to compete at Major Championships at events like the PGA. Yeah, to be stood here, it still hasn't sunk in for sure. Amazing journey."
Rai looked serene in making routine pars at the 14th and 15th but Schmid got up and down from the sand for a birdie on the 13th to get within one as the leader came to the potentially pivotal par-five 16th.
Showing nerves of steel, Rai hit a perfect tee shot and then put his second to 17 feet for another potential eagle 3, getting down in two for another birdie and to restore his two-shot lead.
None of the others in contention late on Sunday except for an inspired Rahm were matching his shotmaking.
That advantage was three as Schmid bogeyed the 15th and then Rai produced a Major moment for the ages, holing from 68 feet on the 17th to take a four-shot advantage up the last and suddenly all the tension of the last 71 holes was gone.
With his win : * $3,690,000, 1st Major, 15th owgr, 5th Race to Dubai, lifetime entry into US PGA Championship, 5 year exception into all the majors, 2nd Englishman to win PGA Championship.
Rahm T2, would birdie the 16th in a -2 68 to trim the advantage -6 and Smalley T2– who had earlier bogeyed the eighth and birdied the ninth, finished eagle-bogey-birdie to sign for a 70 -6 both won $1,804,000
Early in the day, American Justin Thomas carded a closing -5 65 to finish T4 four shots off the lead -5 alongside Schmid and Swede Ludvig Åberg, one clear of Rory McIlroy T7 -4, Xander Schauffele -4 and Cameron Smith -4
Earlier in the day, Kurt Kitayama equalled the lowest final round in Major history with a bogey free 30/33, 63 that got him into T10 at -3 alongside Chris Gotterup, Patrick Reed and Justin Rose.
EDIT>>>>> Canada's Nick Taylor was in the penultimate pairing with Rahm, holding his nation's hopes of being just the 2nd male after Mike Weir to win a major.
He continued his steady play at -5 until he rescued a wayward drive with a bogey at the 10th, then the wheels came off with 5 bogey's in his last 6 holes for 40 and a closing 74 T26 E. $125,523
His fellow countrymen Taylor Pendrith 71 T44 +2 $50,348 and Corey Conners 72 T55 +3. $34,186.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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