England’s Aaron Rai captured his first major title with a thrilling three-shot victory at the PGA Championship held at Aronimink Golf Club. Starting the final round two strokes behind, Rai made a remarkable comeback, highlighted by a 40-foot eagle on the par-five ninth, which ignited a scoring surge that propelled him up the leaderboard.

Rai, ranked world No 44, finished the tournament at nine under par, concluding with a final-round score of 65. His victory ended a streak of 10 consecutive American winners at the PGA Championship and made him the first English champion since Jim Barnes in 1919.

Jon Rahm finished tied for second with Alex Smalley, both chasing the third leg of the career Grand Slam. The leaderboard also featured Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, and Matti Schmid, all sharing fourth place.

Key moments from the final round include:

• Rai’s scoring burst, including two birdies from the 11th hole and a sensational 70-foot putt at the 17th.
• Smalley struggled with a double-bogey at the sixth, while Schmid made impressive birdies to stay competitive.
• Rory McIlroy fell short in his bid for back-to-back majors, finishing tied for seventh.

Reflecting on his win, Rai expressed, "It is very surreal. It has been a bit of a frustrating season... My body feels great and I have really enjoyed the course this week."

As the PGA Tour moves to Texas for The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Rai's victory marks a significant moment in golf, showcasing the rising talent from Europe in the major tournaments.