Rory Mcilroy Comments Aaron Rai as PGA Crown Nears
rory mcilroy comments aaron rai came as Rai walked to the 18th tee with a three-shot lead after 71 holes of the week and 17 holes into the round. McIlroy, already in the clubhouse doing the media rounds, said, “Looks like he’s going to win,” then added, “which is great. You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him.”
McIlroy Watches Rai Close
McIlroy delivered that view while watching Rai on a TV monitor, and the tone matched the wider reaction around the course. Jon Rahm said, “There’s very few people that are nicer and kinder human beings than Aaron,” while Xander Schauffele said, “He’s such a good dude.”
Rai turned that position into the Wanamaker Trophy and his first major title at the 2026 PGA Championship. He had been three shots clear with 71 holes of the week complete and 17 holes left in his round when McIlroy spoke, leaving little doubt that the chase had narrowed to whether Rai would hold his cushion to the finish.
Rai’s Road From Wolverhampton
The win fits a career that started early and has moved steadily. Rai won his first tournament at 5 years old in 2000, turned professional at 17 in 2012, and went on to win the Kenya Open in 2017 after joining the Challenge Tour.
He added a Hong Kong Open victory in 2018, earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour finals in 2021, and later tied for 19th at the Open, then his best major finish. Rai won the Wyndham Championship in 2024 for his first PGA Tour victory and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in a playoff over Tommy Fleetwood in 2025.
Family And Equipment Habits
Rai was born and raised in Wolverhampton, and he and his wife, Gaurika Bishnoi, moved to Florida in 2024. He also said, “I’m very proud of representing all three,” referring to his father, who was born in England of Indian descent, and his mother, who was Indian-Kenyan.
His family background has been part of the story around him for years. His father quit his job to support his golf, his mother worked two jobs to support the family, and his sister started working when she was 14. Rai still uses covers on his irons because he learned early that they were expensive and needed proper care, a habit Rahm pointed to when he said, “That shows a lot about a person.”
That mix of results and reputation made the scene at the 18th tee easy to read: Rai had the lead, the title was within reach, and the players around him were already treating the finish as something to applaud rather than resist.
