England’s Aaron Rai stormed to a maiden major title after completing a sensational three-shot victory in the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Rai went into the final round two strokes back and was three behind with 10 holes to play, before a 40-foot eagle at the par-five ninth sparked a scoring burst that pushed him up a congested leaderboard.
The world No 44 posted two birdies in a three-hole stretch from the 11th and added back-to-back gains from the 16th, including a sensational 70-foot putt at the par-three 17th, to grab control and a three-shot cushion.
Rai played alongside Ludvig Åberg, who finished on five under, during the final day
A two-putt par at the last closed a final-round 65 and saw him end the week on nine under, with Rai ending a streak of 10 consecutive American winners at the PGA Championship and becoming the first English winner since Jim Barnes in 1919.
Jon Rahm finished tied-second with overnight leader Alex Smalley as he chased the third leg of the career Grand Slam, while two-time PGA champion Justin Thomas shared fourth spot alongside Ludvig Aberg and Germany’s Matti Schmid.
Rory McIlroy’s bid for back-to-back major titles ended five strokes back in tied-seventh with Xander Schauffele and Cameron Smith, while Kurt Kitayama jumped inside the top-10 with a round-of-the-day 63 and Scottie Scheffler ended his title defence on two under after a final-round 69.
How Rai edged major thriller at Aronimink
Some 30 players were within five of the lead heading into the final round, with Rahm making the first move after posting a birdie-birdie start to pull level with Smalley on six under.
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Jon Rahm birdied his opening two holes of his final round at the PGA Championship
Rahm lost ground after bogeying the next, where Smalley held a 25-footer to scramble a par and remain ahead, only for a three-shot swing at the sixth seeing Smalley make double-bogey and Schmid to hole from 20 feet and card a third birdie in five holes.
Rai – playing two groups behind the leaders – was one back after an opening-hole birdie but found himself two behind after bogeys at the sixth and eighth, before his long-range eagle at the ninth pulled him back tied-second and within one of Schmid.
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Rai holed a 40ft eagle putt on the ninth green at Aronimink to get back in contention
The German started his back nine with a bogey to hand the lead to Rai, who made a close-range birdie at the 11th and got up and down from the greenside bunker to pick up a shot at the drivable par-four 13th.
Schmid birdied the same hole to halve Rai’s advantage but fell three back when the Wolverhampton golfer took control of the tournament, two-putting from 20 feet to birdie the par-five 16th and holing his longest putt of the week at the next to leave victory all but confirmed.
Rai then found the green in regulation at the par-four last and two-putted for a winning par, with his victory marking the first time in the modern era that the opening two men’s majors of the year have been won by European players.
“It [winning] is very surreal,” Rai said. “It has been a bit of a frustrating season so to be stood here is definitely outside of my wildest imagination. I think it is really good consistency over the last few weeks with practice. My body feels great and I have really enjoyed the course this week.”
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Aaron Rai shot a five-under 65 to win the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. Here’s a look at how he closed out victory
Rahm mixed four birdies with two bogey in a final-round 68 to end the week on six under, with Smalley finding an eagle-three at the 16th and cancelling out a bogey at the next with a 20-foot birdie at the last to also share second.
Scheffler and McIlroy fall short at Aronimink
McIlroy boosted his hopes of a third PGA Championship victory when he followed a 10-footer to save par at the first by birdieing the second, getting him within two, only to close out the rest of his front nine in pars.
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Rory McIlroy could only post two birdies during the final round of the PGA Championship as he finished five shy of winner Aaron Rai
The world No 2 failed to capitalise on a 379-yard tee shot into the par-five ninth and saw his par streak ended with a bogey at the driveable 13th, where he hit a wayward three-wood into the rough and failed to find the green with his second.
McIlroy kept his slim hopes alive by rolling in a 25-foot birdie at the next but was unable to take advantage of the 16th, leaving him level-par for the week on the par-fives, with a tied-seventh finish equalling his best finish at the PGA Championship since his 2014 victory.
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McIlroy had a fan ejected from the PGA Championship after he was heckled on the 16th hole during the final round
Scheffler went into the final day five back and outside the top-20 as he chased a fifth major in as many seasons, but the world No 1 – who can complete the career Grand Slam at the US Open next month – struggled on the greens throughout the week.
“When I look back on a week like this, I feel I’ve had a really good year on the greens and to have a disappointing week on the greens at a major is a tough pill to swallow,” Scheffler admitted to Sky Sports, having missed six putts from inside five feet during the week.
Scheffler carded rounds of 67, 71, 71 and 69 during the tournament
What’s next?
The PGA Tour heads to Texas for The CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch, where Scheffler returns as defending champion. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 12.45pm on Sky Sports+ and 5pm on Sky Sports Golf.
The DP World Tour is in Belgium for the Soudal Open, while the next men’s major is the US Open at Shinnecock Hills from June 18-21, with both also live on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.
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