After the ball dropped, Aaron Rye’s putter swung like a pendulum back toward the 17th green, followed by the gentlest of fist-pumps that caused the surrounding fans to wail in amazement. It was a most spectacular birdie from about 69 feet and the last haymaker heading into the PGA Championship tournament in the city associated with the Rocky Balboa story.
His reaction was similar to the Wolverhampton man’s reserved nature. His humility despite his greatness as the first British man to win the men’s major in 107 years was almost confirmed the moment his lead expanded to three strokes.
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His relentless onslaught left behind great champions like Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, and he seized the moment by going 6 under for the previous nine holes, with only one hole remaining in the round.
The 31-year-old, who has built his career on impressive values including hard work, grew up in the Midlands to parents of Indian and Kenyan descent.
“It’s hard to express all the feelings I have for them,” Rai said, referring to his parents after highlighting his major victory. “My father used to practice with me every day since I was 4 or 5 years old, but he quit his job when I started focusing on golf.
“He read about golf and was very active around the game. My mom was incredible. She worked very long hours to provide for the family while my dad didn’t work as much. Her support was phenomenal. I can’t tell you how much they did, the support, the care, the love. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
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Rai is one of the good players and his victory should be celebrated beyond England. In fact, it’s a notable footnote in the history of the sport. Following J.J. Spawn’s U.S. Open victory last year, it is rare for a player from an ethnic minority background to win a men’s golf major. Rai also grew up in a working-class family and prospered even though most of his competitors came from more advantaged backgrounds. He’s counting on his close friend and golf course owner, Shabir Randery. He became a father figure to Rai, seeing Rai’s immense potential during his childhood and funding his private school education.
That dream came from spending hours watching Tiger Woods’ 15 major wins since his amateur days on old VHS tapes.
As a child, Lai played on a customized golf course, hitting tee shots from the fairway and his father gradually increasing the length so his son could chase par. Rai was able to play from the ladies’ tees at the age of 12, and as he gradually grew taller, he was soon able to play from the men’s tees as well.
Hard work was always at the forefront of his mind, a trait that led him to win the hefty Wanamaker Trophy with Aronimink.
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“It comes from my upbringing,” Rai revealed, recalling where his work ethic came from. “Golf was always a big part of my life from an early age, but my mom and my brothers were quick to emphasize the importance of being a good person and doing the right thing away from golf. That was consistent from a young age, from the age of five or six.”
Lai poses with the trophy after winning the final round of the PGA Championship (Reuters)
“Growing as a junior, an amateur, and a professional. Golf is a humbling game. It takes a lot of discipline to get better. This game doesn’t give you anything. You have to work hard at everything, you have to be focused, and it’s very humbling. When you put all this together, humility goes hand in hand with the game and my upbringing.”
“My father was with me every day, preaching the importance of work and education, and consistently building strong habits around the game. My mother worked extremely hard away from golf and work, holding several jobs at once and doing many jobs around the house.”
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“My sister also played a big role. She was in the business from the age of 14 or 15. Continuous hard work, that was the environment. That’s what I grew up with. It’s what I cherish and try to move forward with.”
Rai has been on the rise since he started his touring career. His decision to wear two gloves instead of one stems from the comfort he felt as a junior. However, his irons still have head covers. This is a custom born out of his father’s desire to respect and protect his investment in expensive golf equipment. Every groove was cleaned with pins and baby oil to preserve its value, further instilling Rye’s humble nature.
After years of unrest in an increasingly divided country, Rai returned to his native Britain and spoke eloquently of his pride in his career.
“How it is presented is not something I can define or control,” Rai was careful to explain when discussing the Indian and Kenyan contexts. “But I’m very proud to be from England. England is where I grew up. I’m very proud of India and Kenya. My mother grew up there, my sister lives there now and my mother still spends time there. If you go back a few generations, both my grandparents were from India.”
Aronimink’s lie on the 14th hole on Sunday (Reuters)
“I’m very proud to represent all three of them. I don’t know how that will come across, but I’m very proud to represent all three of them.”
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The reception to his victory shows how much the golf world should value Lai’s success. In fact, everyone on tour seems to be talking about fellow Briton and PGA Tour player Paul Waring and Aaron Rye remembering the 2022 Irish Open. At 7pm on a Wednesday, it was raining in biblical proportions, but while the Liverpudlian was babysitting Guinness in the clubhouse, Rye was thoroughly drenched but persevering, holed putts on the practice green. Two-time major champion Xander Schauffele was among those who praised his character.
“You rarely feel like people work much harder than you,” the American said. “I feel like I’ve played a fair amount of time, but Aaron is always there. He’s always in the gym. He’s always on the practice field. Aaron’s always there. He’s always on the practice field.”
“For the Scottish Open, I’m staying on site there. I thought it would be fun for Austin (caddie) and I to putt. Aaron will finish a quick putting session at 9pm and then go to the gym at 9:45pm.”
“This was three years ago. I guess that’s what it means to be a major champion. You worked hard when no one was watching. It was very exciting for him and his team.”
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Victory in Philadelphia’s western suburbs shifts focus to grander ambitions, particularly Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team at Adare Manor next year. And the unwavering character shown throughout Sunday suggests Rye will be there.
