Aaron Rai’s historic victory last week at the PGA Championship saw him become the ninth HotelPlanner Tour alumni to win a Major Championship.
Rai, who graduated from the Tour in 2017, shot a final round five under par 65 to finish on nine under par, three clear of his nearest competitor at Aronimink Golf Club.
In doing so, Rai became the first Englishman in over 100 years to win the PGA Championship, after Jim Barnes in 1919, and the first Englishman to win any Major since Matt Fitzpatrick in 2022.
“Golf is an amazing game,” he said. “It teaches you so many things, and it teaches you so much humility and discipline and absolute hard work because nothing is ever given in this game no matter what level you're playing, no matter what course you're playing on.
“There's a lot of incredible and historic English players over those hundred years who have gone on to achieve incredible things and had phenomenal careers.
“To win this event and then to be the person that's the first one to have won it in a long time from England is an amazing thing and something to be extremely proud of.”
Rai tasted victory in his first start on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2017 at the Barclays Kenya Open winning by three shots over Adrian Saddier, the same margin as his Major breakthrough last week.
Rai followed up his win in Kenya with two more in Spain and France to secure playing privileges on the DP World Tour early, eventually graduating from the HotelPlanner Tour in sixth position on the season-long Rankings.
Rai then worked his way up to the PGA TOUR and this latest career-defining moment, that sees him reach his highest world ranking of 15th and take the winning check of $3.6million.
“It definitely feels like a journey,” he added. “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 realize 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.”
