Aaron Rai Leads Myrtle Beach Classic Leaderboard By One Shot
Aaron Rai moved to the top of the myrtle beach classic leaderboard with a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead at 10-under. The position gives him a clear path into the weekend at an opposite-field PGA TOUR event that also sends the winner to the PGA Championship next week if he is not already eligible.
Aaron Rai, 10-under
Rai found four birdies on his second nine and separated from the field with the round’s best number at the top of the board. He entered the event on a special invitation based on his world ranking and was the only player from the top 50 in the field.
He also said he was using the event as a good place to play ahead of the PGA Championship next week. That fit the moment: a weekend run now carries more weight because the winner gets into that major if he has not already qualified.
Brandt Snedeker and Mark Hubbard
Brandt Snedeker stayed close at 9-under after a bogey-free 66 in a moderate breeze. Mark Hubbard matched him at 9-under with a 67 after early mistakes, then ran off four straight birdies around the turn to stay within one.
Those scores kept the chase tight behind Rai, who still had no cushion beyond a single shot. Brooks Koepka sat six shots back in T-22 after playing the first two days with Rai, while Davis Thompson was part of that same group.
Koepka, Thompson, and Rai
Rai said, "I loved playing with Koepka and Davis Thompson, who are both very good players and it was a great atmosphere." That grouping has already served as part of the setup for the tournament's final stretch, with Rai now carrying the lead instead of chasing it.
His season line adds another layer. He has one PGA TOUR victory, won the 2024 Wyndham Championship, and has two top-25 finishes in eight starts this year, with a best finish of T-23 at the Cognizant Classic. He also sits No. 58 in the 2025 FedExCup Fall standings after qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
The cut fell at even par, and nine players who missed the weekend are in the PGA Championship next week at Aronimink. Rai's job now is simpler than the field around him: keep the lead through the final rounds and turn a one-shot edge into the result that unlocks the next stop.
