Aaron Rai Becomes First Englishman To Win The PGA Championship. Aaron Rai just became the first Englishman to win the US PGA Championship since 1919. His hard work paid off with a winning score of nine under par, finishing three shots ahead of John Rahm. This marks one of the biggest moments of his career.
Rai verbalized his fear to his wife, Gaurika Bishnoi, saying, “Sometimes, I feel that the things around me are going to change too much if I do something crazy,” the day before the big win. His wife responded, “We’re going to lead our lives the same way she said, and that is a choice we are going to make consistently. He can still be true to himself because that is what makes Aaron so unique.”
Gloves Like No Other
Aaron puts his own twist on the gear he uses, comfort. He stays true to what helps him, what gets him through, and what makes him feel himself at all times. He wears black waterproof rain gloves on both hands, no matter the weather, instead of the traditional white leather glove on the dominant hand. He is the only player on the PGA Tour who does so. Wearing both gloves helped him on England’s brutal, cold winter days growing up, as he would stay outside and initially practice for hours. The gloves helped him feel more comfortable in England, so Rai made them his staple.
Iron Covers
Everyone in golf uses head covers on their driver, woods, and putter, but Rai also has protective sleeves on his irons. As a child, his father, Amrik Singh, bought him a set of Titleist 690 MB irons, even though he couldn’t afford them.
Singh showed Rai how to take care of it by cleaning them with baby oil and a pin to remove the grind. “I’ve pretty much had iron covers on all of my sets ever since to kind of appreciate the value of what I have,” Rai told SiriusXM radio. “Although I’m on the PGA Tour and we get given equipment and anything we need is more out of principle. It’s more about the value of not losing perspective on what I have and where I am. So the covers are going to stay, I’m sorry.”
Why Being Yourself Matters In Sports
Sports in America and around the world have always been a dream for many boys and girls. Aaron Rai’s humility and never-forgotten sense of where he comes from show that people don’t have to pretend to be someone else just to be successful. Choosing what helps you and what brings you joy will always stand out more than being like everyone else. It shows that you don’t have to be flashy, wear what everyone else is wearing, or even drive an expensive car to be at the top of the game. In the PGA Championship victory, Aaron Rai showed that you can be yourself and still win.
