Aaron Rai emerges from the pack to win PGA Championship with the final round of his life at Aronimink

Heading into Sunday's final round of the 2026 PGA Championship, it felt as if it was anyone's game, because it practically was. An unprecedented 21 players were within four shots of 54-hole leader Alex Smalley, but it was Englishman Aaron Rai who managed to separate from the pack at Aronimink and not look back en route to becoming a major champion.

Rai, who entered the week ranked 44th in the world, came out of the gates on Sunday firing, but after making a four-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, he quickly fell into the inevitable stretch every player faced during the final round in having to stay patient and take what the golf course was giving him.

After a poor tee shot on the difficult par-3 8th hole, and then airmailing the green with his bunker shot, disaster quickl...