Who is Aaron Rai? The Englishman surprises everyone by winning the 2026 PGA Championship and breaking a 100-year curse!
Aaron Rai pulled off a surprising win to take the 2026 PGA Championship on Sunday evening. The 31-year-old from Wolverhampton finished an amazing 9-under par, beating tough competition from Jon Rahm and Matti Schmid to claim the Major title.
This win made Rai only the second Englishman ever to lift the Wanamaker Trophy, after Jim Barnes won it back in 1916 and 1919. While Nick Faldo won six Major Championships during his career, he never managed to win the PGA Championship. Other top English players like Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, and Luke Donald have come close, but none had done what Rai just did in Philadelphia.
So, who is Aaron Rai? Here’s a quick look at the new English golf star:
Full name: Aaron Rai
Date of Birth: March 3, 1995 (age 31)
Place of Birth: Wolverhampton
Nationality: English
Highest world ranking: 20 (September 22, 2024)
Rai made history by becoming only the second Englishman to win the PGA Championship. He turned professional in 2012 and has played in all four Major tournaments. His best world ranking so far was 20th in September 2024. Interestingly, he once dreamed of becoming an F1 driver before choosing golf.
The PGA Championship win was Rai’s 13th Major appearance. Before this big victory, his best results were tying for 19th at the PGA Championship, the US Open, and The Open Championship, and tying for 25th at the Masters.
One unique thing about Rai is that he’s one of the few golfers who wears a glove on both hands. He says he started playing this way and just felt more comfortable keeping it up.
Before his big win at the PGA, Rai also grabbed attention by beating Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off to win the Abu Dhabi Championship in November 2025.