Aaron Rai becomes the first English golfer to win the PGA Championship in more than a century
By Kevin Dotson, CNN
(CNN) — English golfer Aaron Rai on Sunday won the PGA Championship with a winning score of 9-under par, finishing three shots above Spanish star Jon Rahm and American Alex Smalley.
Rai, who had just one career win on the PGA Tour before this week, becomes the first Englishman to win the PGA Championship in 107 years.
Rai was among the chasing pack on the final day, starting among the glut of players at 4-under par through three rounds. His 5-under 65 on Sunday shot him into the lead, and was more than enough to win a tournament marked by tough playing conditions all week.
Rai struggled early in his round as a cavalcade of other golfers stood between him and his maiden major championship. He played the first eight holes of his day at one-over par, and the thought of eventually lifting the Wanamaker Trophy must have seemed miles away.
The 56-hole leader Smalley showed no sign of nerves on the first tee, striping his first shot of the day down the middle of the fairway.
Multiple-major winners Rory McIlroy and Rahm pressed Smalley right out of the gate. Each picked up a quick birdie to shrink Smalley’s lead and put pressure on the 29-year-old American.
Rahm birdied again on the second hole to briefly move into a tie with Smalley at -6, but then surrendered a shot on the third hole to give the solo lead back to the American.
Smalley continued to rattle off the pars and nurse his narrow lead in search of an unlikely first PGA Tour win before disaster struck on the sixth hole.
Smalley finally flinched with a devastating double bogey. Smalley’s mishap, coupled with a birdie from his playing partner Matti Schmid landed the German on the top of the leaderboard at -6.
Rai, who started the day at 4-under, rolled in a long, bending eagle putt on the ninth to get to 5-under. A brilliant approach on 11 set up a short birdie putt to tie the lead at 6-under. Moments later, Schmid carded a bogey on 10, and the Englishman was suddenly in the lead all by himself.
Rai’s incredible run continued with another birdie on 13, putting the 31-year-old in great position to make history for his nation.
As the other golfers waited for the one-time PGA Tour winner to fold, Rai stayed the course. Sporting an unorthodox two-glove look, Rai’s approach on the par-5 16th hole set up an easy two-putt for birdie to move to 8-under, two shots ahead of Schmid.
Rai put an exclamation point on his championship day with a birdie putt on 17 from nearly 70 feet, which only elicited a subtle fist pump from the stoic Englishman. Rai’s clutch putt was the second longest putt made in the entire tournament.
After a par on 18, Rai had nothing to do but sign his scorecard and wait for the rest of the golfers to finish their rounds.
Rai called it a “surreal” feeling to claim victory after a “frustrating” season so far, dealing with injuries.
“To be stood here is definitely outside my wildest imagination. I think just really good consistency over the last few weeks, in terms of practice and body’s been feeling great,” Rai told the CBS broadcast before getting presented with the Wanamaker Trophy.
“I really enjoyed the course this week and continued to hold the rounds together. … So yeah, phenomenal to be stood here.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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