Aaron Rai just became the second English golfer to ever win the PGA Championship. And he did so with an emphatic 3-stroke deficit against the field. He delivered an incredible performance of 5-under 65 on Sunday to secure the victory and claim the 2026 Wanamaker Trophy. And everyone had nothing but praise for him.
Rory McIlroy told the reporters, “Aaron is getting away from the field a little bit and looks like he’s going to win, which is great. You won’t find one person on the property who’s not happy for him.”
The Northern Irishman was a serious contender going into the final round. He had displayed impeccable strokeplay on Saturday and was a favorite to win the 2026 PGA Championship. But he didn’t shy away from acknowledging the brilliant performance of Rai at the Aronimink Golf Club on Championship Sunday. Unlike McIlroy, the Englishman delivered when it mattered the most and took home the title. With Rai rising up the ranks now, it will be interesting to see if the two play the Ryder Cup together.
Xander Schauffele also had nothing but praise for the 31-year-old, “I’m super happy for him. He’s such a good dude. Rarely do you see people work really hard. I mean, that’s not fair. Rarely do you feel like people work way harder than you is what I was trying to say. Super pumped for him and his team.”
The two-time major winner was in the same position as McIlroy going into the final round. He had also won the PGA Championship in 2024, making him a strong contender in the event. But as the gentleman that he always is, Schauffele wasn’t afraid to give credit where it was due. And he acknowledged Rai’s efforts on Sunday deserved high praise and the Wanamaker Trophy.
Lastly, Jon Rahm told the media, “I have heard absolutely nothing but good or great things about Aaron Rai. He’s been playing great golf. He’s a fantastic golfer. He’s been able to perform really well. What he did today is nothing short of special.”
Out of the three, Rahm was the closest to Rai on the leaderboard. However, the Englishman just put too much pressure on the Spaniard in the end for him to be able to push for a win. The LIV Golf pro couldn’t achieve his dream of getting the Spanish Grand Slam this year. But he did end up at T2 on the leaderboard, three strokes behind Rai.
Xander Schauffele on Aaron Rai:
“Rarely do you feel like people work way harder than you… He’s always in the gym. He’s always on the range.”
— Underdog Golf (@UnderdogGolf) May 17, 2026
Apart from all the praise he received from his peers, Rai also entered the record books after his win. Let’s look at what he has achieved.
Aaron Rai’s record-breaking win
Yes, Aaron Rai is only the second English golfer in history to ever win the PGA Championship. The first player to achieve that feat was Jim Barnes. He captured the coveted major title in consecutive years in 1916 and 1919. So not only did Rai become the second golfer from his country in history, but he also became the first one to do so in nearly a 100 years.
The last 10+ editions of the PGA Championship have also seen American champions. The last non-American winner of the Wanamaker Trophy was Jason Day in 2015. Rai became the first international golfer since him to achieve that feat.
After scores of 70-69-67-65 in four rounds, he also became the first PGA Championship winner to improve his score after each round.
This is quite a remarkable list of achievements Aaron Rai has accomplished after his win at the Aronimink Golf Club. And he’s only 31 years old still, with a long career ahead of him
