Man of the Hours: Aaron Rai's unseen work pays off as Englishman outshines stars at PGA Championship
Aaron Rai's dedication to practice has finally paid off as he emerged victorious at the 2026 PGA Championship. Despite being overshadowed by more famous players, Rai's hard work and consistent practice led him to success. His journey highlights the importance of perseverance and dedication in achieving greatness in sports.
- ▪Aaron Rai spent years practicing in the shadows, focusing on his skills while other players were in the spotlight.
- ▪He finished T33 at the 2025 U.S. Open and continued to work hard at the 2026 Masters, demonstrating his commitment to improvement.
- ▪Rai's victory at the 2026 PGA Championship came after a challenging start, where he turned his fortunes around with an eagle on the 9th hole.
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Man of the Hours: Aaron Rai's unseen work pays off as Englishman outshines stars at PGA Championship Rai spent years practicing in the shadows after major championships, all in preparation for his closeup in Pennsylvania By Patrick McDonald May 17, 2026 at 10:14 pm ET • 5 min read Getty Images NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- Aaron Rai has been around late on Sundays at major championships before; you just haven't seen him. That's not because television broadcasts ignored him or your interests were focused elsewhere but rather because Rai was not present on the golf course. Rather, he was working in the practice area, showing off his greatest skill, unbeknownst to anyone else.Working on his putting on the back end of the ninth green that doubled as the practice putting area at the 2025 U.S.
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