Aaron Rai is a name regularly seen on PGA Tour leaderboards, but very few know an awful lot about him as a person or as a golfer. Discover more about the Englishman via these 20 facts.
Aaron Rai Facts
1. Rai was born on March 3, 1995, in Wolverhampton, England.
2. He started his golfing journey at the Three Hammers Golf Complex and joined Patshull Park when he was only five years old.
3. The Englishman was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School.
4. Rai has three older siblings: two sisters and one brother.
5. Before the age of eight, he wanted to be a racing driver and would often wear Ferrari T-shirts and jumpers in junior golf competitions.
6. Rai fell into golf by accident. Having hurt himself with a hockey stick as a toddler, Rai’s mother went out to buy plastic sticks to make things safer. She returned with plastic golf clubs instead, and Rai was hooked.
7. After being given a Lee Westwood putting aid at 15, Rai holed 207 consecutive putts of 10 feet, setting a World Record in the process.
8. The Englishman turned professional in 2012; competing first on the EuroPro, and then the Challenge Tour.
9. Rai uses iron head covers. This stems from his father, who taught him to respect and look after his equipment.
10. In 2017, Rai won three times on the Challenge Tour. The third win automatically qualified him for the European Tour.
11. When Rai won the Challenge Tour's Kenya Open in 2017, it was a special victory in more ways than one: Rai’s mother is of Kenyan-Indian descent and had not visited the country in 47 years.
12. Although he did not win in his debut year on the European Tour, Rai claimed victory at the Hong Kong Open; the first event of the 2019 European Tour season.
13. The Englishman has a full TaylorMade bag, except his Titleist Vokey wedges.
14. Rai is coached by duo Piers Ward and Andy Proudman from ‘Me and My Golf’.
15. The Englishman defeated Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff at the 2020 Scottish Open - a Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour.
16. Rai secured his PGA Tour card in 2021 after finishing second at the Albertsons Boise Open - part of the Korn Ferry Tour finals. He held a one-shot lead going into the last hole but double bogeyed 18 to finish one stroke behind eventual winner, Greyson Sigg.
17. His highest finish at a Major arrived at the 2021 Open Championship and the 2024 US Open. Rai ended in a tie for 19th at Royal St. George's and then matched his achievement at Pinehurst No.2.
18. At the 2023 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, Rai made an ace at the world-famous par-3 17th on his way to finishing T19 - his best result at the flagship event.
19. Rai claimed his first PGA Tour victory at the 2024 Wyndham Championship. Rai won by two shots over Max Greyserman as everyone who made the cut played their final two rounds on Sunday.
Why Does Aaron Rai Wear Two Gloves?
20. He is one of the few professionals to wear two gloves. He has done this since the age of eight. Speaking to BBC Sport about the idiosyncrasy, Rai said: "I started wearing them from the age of eight for better grip. My game isn't pretty without them."
