Aaron Rai: I didn’t know that I had a shot at PGA glory!
Wolverhampton golfer Aaron Rai admitted he did not know he was on the cusp of winning his first US PGA Tour title until the final hole at the Wyndham Championship.
The 29-year-old trailed by four shots midway through the back nine on the final round on Sunday evening when then-leader Max Greyserman eagled the par-four 13th.
However, the American golfer suffered a meltdown on the 14th hole, carding a quadruple bogey eight including four putts, and a double bogey on the 16th hole.
That gave Rai the opportunity to forge ahead, and the former Wolverhampton Grammar School pupil’s six-under-par 64 final round saw him win by two shots.
But, after becoming champion, Rai revealed that he didn’t know the scoring situation until it became clear on his final hole that he was in with a huge chance of winninging the £1.1m top prize.
Asked if he knew he was leading, and that Greyserman four-putted to fall to second, Rai said: “I didn’t really look at the leaderboards as I was going around.
“I knew the scores as I was going into the fourth round but I thought it would be best to not really look at what was going on. I wasn’t aware what was happening with Max towards the end.
“I did ask my caddie on the 18th tee, what the situation was. He just said just focus on playing a good hole.
“I also assumed from him saying that, that that’s what it meant. When I walked up the green I did have a look to see the leaderboard, but until that stage I wasn’t aware of what the situation was.”
Rai paid tribute to his family after his maiden PGA Tour win after near misses including a second-placed finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in June.
It follows wins on the DP World Tour at the Hong Kong Open in 2018 and Scottish Open in 2020.
“It feels amazing, it really is a dream come true,” said Rai, who grew up in Perton, after the late finish at Sedgefield Country Club, in North Carolina, on Sunday night. “So many people have played a huge role in my being at this point from my mum and my dad, the rest of my family. There’s a huge team behind me being sat here and I wouldn’t be here without all of those guys.”
Adding: “That statement alone of being a PGA Tour winner is a dream come true. To win on any professional golf tour is an incredible accomplishment. The PGA Tour is the pinnacle of golf and it’s amazing to be competing week-in-week-out. But, to have won a tournament is extremely special and something that I’ll always remember.”
Rai’s first win on the PGA Tour takes him up to 25th in the Fed-Ex Cup standings heading towards the play-offs.
