Connect with us

Latest

Aaron Rai emerges from the pack to win PGA Championship with the final round of his life at Aronimink

Published

on

Heading into Sunday’s final round of the 2026 PGA Championship, it felt as if it was anyone’s game, because it practically was. An unprecedented 21 players were within four shots of 54-hole leader Alex Smalley, but it was Englishman Aaron Rai who managed to separate from the pack at Aronimink and not look back en route to becoming a major champion.

Rai, who entered the week ranked 44th in the world, came out of the gates on Sunday firing, but after making a four-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, he quickly fell into the inevitable stretch every player faced during the final round in having to stay patient and take what the golf course was giving him.

After a poor tee shot on the difficult par-3 8th hole, and then airmailing the green with his bunker shot, disaster quickly came into the equation, but the 31-year-old managed to convert a four-foot putt for bogey. It was one of those bogeys that was a momentum saver, and the momentum was used on the very next hole.

Rai reached the gettable par-5 9th hole in two and sank a 40-footer for eagle. It was a nice bonus heading into the back nine, which played as the hardest side throughout the week, but Rai didn’t subscribe to that narrative on Sunday.

As the entire field and golf tournament as a whole fell into neutral for what felt like multiple hours with the final groups making the turn, Rai stepped on the gas.

JIM FURYK SAYS TIGER WOODS WILL HAVE A SPOT ON HIS 2027 RYDER CUP STAFF DESPITE DUI ARREST

After picking up another birdie on the par-4 11th, it was his birdie on the 299-yard par-4 13th that he may look back on as the moment.

Left with a very dicey bunker shot from 40 yards, Rai had the option of playing it relatively safe and leaving himself 20 or so feet up the hill for birdie. Or, he could fly the golf ball to the hole and bring in a slope falling away from the hole just beyond the flag. He didn’t hesitate and walked off the green with yet another birdie and a two-shot advantage.

JON RAHM APOLOGIZES AFTER HITTING VOLUNTEER WITH FLYING DIVOT AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: ‘INEXCUSABLE’

Despite the 13th hole being drivable for every player in the field, Rai’s birdie actually picked up a shot on plenty of the contenders on Sunday. Nick Taylor, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele each made bogey on the hole, while Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, and Smalley weren’t able to take advantage of the short hole either.

Rai officially put a hand on the door to slam shut by reaching the par-5 16th hole in two and making one of the more comfortable birdies you’ll ever see, and officially slammed it shut with a 68-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.

Rai played his final 10 holes in six-under par and without a blemish on the scorecard before signing for a 65 and a three-shot victory at nine-under overall.

The five-under round marked his lowest score in a major championship by two. A major championship Sunday for the round of your life is special stuff.

Rai being the last man standing among the likes of Ludvig Aberg, McIlroy, Rahm, Reed, and Schauffele — who all began the day within three shots of the lead — has a feeling of randomness about it, which was the theme for the week at Aronimink.

Entering the week, the most common prediction was that players were going to be able to pick apart the Donald Ross-designed golf course. A lack of trees and water hazards made way for a bomb-and-gouge approach. Or so we thought.

Rai began the week ranked 160th on the PGA Tour in average driving distance, and finished the week ranked 66th in driving distance among the 82 players who made the cut.

While Rai is known for being among the shortest hitters on the PGA Tour, he’s also made a habit of being an incredibly streaky putter. The flatstick is often a villain for Rai, but it was his best mate throughout the week as he finished fourth in the field in strokes gained on the greens.

With his victory, Rai became the first non-American to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy since Australian Jason Day did so in 2015, and the first European to find the winner’s circle at the PGA since Rory McIlroy in 2014.

Continue Reading

Latest

‘Clock Is Ticking’ for Iran to Accept a Deal, Trump Warns: ‘Get Moving, FAST, or There Won’t Be Anything Left’

Published

on

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that the “clock is ticking” for Iran to strike a deal to bring the conflict to an end, urging Tehran to move quickly toward an agreement as he warned the regime risks being “hit badly” if negotiations continue to stall amid mounting questions over whether diplomacy can prevent renewed fighting.

The post ‘Clock Is Ticking’ for Iran to Accept a Deal, Trump Warns: ‘Get Moving, FAST, or There Won’t Be Anything Left’ appeared first on Breitbart.

Continue Reading

Latest

Socialist Nithya Raman, Wife to ‘Modern Family’ TV Producer, Racks Up Hollywood Support in L.A. Mayor Race

Published

on

Socialist Nithya Raman has been racking up Hollywood support in her bid to unseat Karen Bass as Mayor of Los Angeles.

The post Socialist Nithya Raman, Wife to ‘Modern Family’ TV Producer, Racks Up Hollywood Support in L.A. Mayor Race appeared first on Breitbart.

Continue Reading

Latest

Austin police arrest 2 juveniles allegedly linked to 12 random shootings injuring 4 people

Published

on

Austin police arrested two juveniles Sunday who investigators believe were connected to 12 shooting incidents across the city that injured four people, struck two fire stations and triggered a shelter-in-place order in South Austin.

Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis said investigators took a 15-year-old and 17-year-old into custody following the shootings, which began late Saturday and continued into Sunday morning.

“We have two suspects in custody,” Davis said during a press conference Sunday. “We have a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old in custody.”

Authorities said the 17-year-old already had a warrant connected to the theft of a firearm from the same store where the 15-year-old allegedly stole another gun.

TWO TEENS ARRESTED AFTER 15-YEAR-OLD SHOT NEAR WASHINGTON DC’S UNION STATION

According to police, the suspects allegedly stole multiple vehicles throughout the spree and fired shots at apartment complexes, homes, pedestrians and two fire stations.

Davis said one fire station was shot at twice and a fire truck was struck while firefighters were nearby.

Officials said four people were shot during the incidents. One victim suffered critical injuries but was in stable condition, while three others sustained non-life-threatening wounds.

3 SHOT IN TIMES SQUARE, 17-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT DETAINED AFTER LATE-NIGHT DISPUTE

Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said emergency responders treated victims at four separate shooting scenes across the city.

“At this time, most of the shootings have occurred in South Austin,” Davis said earlier Sunday. “No specific motive, and they appear to be random in nature.”

Authorities initially warned residents to shelter in place in an area bounded by South Slaughter Lane, East McKinney Falls Parkway, North Ben White Boulevard and West Escarpment Boulevard while officers searched for the suspects.

TEXAS POLICE ARREST 9 SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN 4 CASES NEAR SUBURBAN MALL IN SHOPLIFTING BLITZ OPERATION

The shelter-in-place order was later lifted after the two suspects were taken into custody, though police said a possible third person fled from a vehicle stop in the Manor area.

Austin police said the suspects cycled through several stolen vehicles during the spree, including a black or dark blue Hyundai, a gold Hyundai sedan, a silver Mazda four-door and a white Kia Optima.

Davis urged residents not to leave keys or key fobs inside vehicles.

MARYLAND POLICE FRUSTRATED AFTER TEEN ACCUSED IN MORE THAN 100 CAR BREAK-INS RELEASED WITHIN HOURS OF ARREST

“What we are seeing are these cars are being stolen,” Davis said.

Authorities said the investigation began after officers responded to reports of a stolen vehicle from an apartment complex and a stolen firearm. Police later said investigators connected the incidents as additional shootings were reported throughout the city.

Davis described the investigation as “complex” because of the number of scenes, stolen vehicles and random shootings spread across multiple areas of Austin.

GEORGIA TEEN ARRESTED AFTER FATHER TURNS HIM IN FOLLOWING PAIR OF SHOOTINGS, POLICE SAY

Police said officers responded to shootings involving apartment buildings and homes while going door-to-door to ensure residents had not been injured.

Davis said surveillance video appeared to show one shooting in front of a store where two people were struck after suspects fired from a passing vehicle.

Police also said a man walking his dog was shot in the back Sunday morning.

PHILADELPHIA TEENAGERS CHARGED IN SERIES OF ‘UNPROVOKED’ ATTACKS WITHIN AN HOUR

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the coordinated response from local and regional law enforcement agencies, including the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Manor Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.

“This was a rapidly evolving event involving multiple incidents in multiple locations,” Watson said.

Davis also suggested license plate reader technology could have helped investigators more quickly connect the shootings and stolen vehicle reports.

“We need to take seriously the fact that we’ve got two juveniles, 15 and 17, running around with guns creating this havoc,” Davis said.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Political Signal