Aaron Rai Defies All Odds, Wins 2026 PGA Championship

BusinessSportsMoneyAaron Rai Defies All Odds, Wins 2026 PGA ChampionshipByJeff Hartman,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Jeff Hartman is a Maryland resident who covers the PGA Tour.Follow AuthorMay 18, 2026, 08:30am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 16: Aaron Rai of England hits a tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 16, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Getty ImagesMaybe it’s the two golf gloves.Maybe it’s the iron covers on his clubs.Maybe it’s the different sponsors on his hat and shirt.Either way, there is a good chance you know Aaron Rai for all the aforementioned reasons, and not for his play on the course over the past few seasons. Rai broke through with his first win of his career in 2024, winning the Wyndham Championship, but he has been having a great 2026 season which was recently capped off with his first major championship crown.Rai won the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club this past weekend, and his 3-shot victory over some of golf’s biggest names was his first true moment in the sun. After the win, Rai got the opportunity to explain why he wears two golf gloves, which was a habit he started doing as a child during the cold winters in England. He also got to share how he came from a hard-working middle class family, and when his father bought him a new set of irons as a kid, he put iron covers on them to make them last. Despite having access to the finest technology and equipment the game has to offer, Rai continues to keep those traditions to remind him of where he came from, and to appreciate what he has.Rai’s 2026 season saw him make eight out of 10 potential cuts, four Top 25s, a Par 3 winner at The Masters, and now a major championship. With the win, Rai pocketed roughly $3.6 mil...