The Englishman entered the closing stretch of Sunday\u2019s final round with a narrow advantage, but it was his remarkable birdie putt on the par-3 17th that effectively settled the tournament. Facing a daunting 68-foot attempt with the pressure of a major title hanging over him, Rai rolled the putt in to spark huge celebrations from the galleries and move three shots clear of the chasing pack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That moment gave the Wolverhampton-born golfer enough breathing room heading to the 18th, where a composed par finish secured both the championship and the iconic Wanamaker Trophy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In doing so, Rai became the first English winner of the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes lifted the title more than a century ago in 1919.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rai closed the week at nine-under-par, finishing three strokes ahead of a group tied for second place. Alex Smalley, who had held the overnight clubhouse lead after the third round, carded an even-par final round to end at six under alongside Jon Rahm, who posted a two-under 68 on Sunday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Matti Schmid, who began the final day as Rai\u2019s closest challenger, slipped back after the decisive stretch and eventually shared third place at five under with Ludvig \u00c5berg and Justin Thomas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For Rai, whose 2026 campaign had largely been filled with inconsistency and missed opportunities, the victory marked a dramatic turnaround on one of golf\u2019s biggest stages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very surreal. It\u2019s been a frustrating season, so to be stood here is outside of my wildest imagination,\u201d Rai said after the win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 31-year-old also reflected on the deeper lessons the sport has taught him throughout his journey to major success.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very surreal. It\u2019s been a frustrating season, so to be stood here is outside of my wildest imagination,\u201d Rai said after the win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rai\u2019s triumph at Aronimink now places him among golf\u2019s newest major champions and caps one of the most memorable final-round performances of the season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n