England’s Aaron Rai became the first English golfer to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919, breaking a 107‑year drought and halting a streak of ten consecutive American champions. The world No. 44 surged from two strokes behind at the start of the final round to a three‑shot victory, closing with a six‑under‑par 65.
Rai entered the day three shots off the lead and was tied for third with ten holes to play. A dramatic 40‑foot eagle putt on the par‑five ninth sparked a scoring avalanche: he followed with birdies at 11, 16 and a spectacular 70‑foot birdie putt on the par‑three 17th. A two‑putt par on the 18th sealed the win at nine under for the tournament.
Key developments
Jon Rahm, who was chasing the third leg of his career Grand Slam, finished tied‑second with Alex Smalley at six under, while former champion Justin Thomas, Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg and Germany’s Matti Schmid shared fourth place. Two‑time major winner Rory McIlroy could only manage a tied‑seventh finish, five strokes back, and Scottie Scheffler ended his title defense with a 69, two under for the week.
Rai’s triumph not only ended the American run but also marked the first time the opening two men’s majors of the season were claimed by European players. “It’s very surreal,” Rai said after his victory. “This season has been frustrating at times, so standing here is beyond my wildest imagination. My body feels great and I’ve really enjoyed the course this week.”
With his final‑round 65, Rai finished the championship at nine under, securing a historic win for English golf and adding his name to the list of PGA Championship legends.
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