Sports

The most valuable birdie at PGA Championship belonged to the loser

Published

2 hours ago

18 May 2026

In another life, Alex Smalley’s birdie on the 18th at the PGA Championship Sunday secured his first major championship victory, granted him a date with the Wanamaker Trophy, and silenced every doubt that had been uttered about him over the previous six days of (mostly flawless) golf at Aronimink.

In this life? He’d have to settle for the 3 on 18 being merely “life-changing.”

It’s not often that the most valuable birdie on Sunday at a major championship belongs to somebody other than the winner. And, make no mistake, Aaron Rai had plenty of brilliant ones on Sunday, including a 68-footer on the 17th hole that all but clinched the tournament. But on this major Sunday, the most valuable birdie belonged to Alex Smalley, the longtime PGA Tour pro who poured a 20-footer up the hill into the hole to close out his week at golf’s second major, and who earned a major prize as a result (and a whole lotta dough).

“Yeah, thrilled to be going to Augusta next year,” he said later. “I knew that top four and ties, I believe it is, gets you into Augusta. So I knew that was a possibility. I wasn’t really thinking about it honestly until I hit the green on 18, saw where I was. Was really just trying to two-putt, just trying to lag it up. That 20-footer up the hill on 18, I was just trying to get a tap-in. Fortunate enough that it went in.”

Yes, Smalley punched his ticket to Augusta National for the first time in his career with his birdie on the last on Sunday, earning an exemption into the Masters through the tournament’s top-four-and-ties rule by pouring in his birdie to finish T2. Smalley will have 11 months to savor the invite to Augusta National for the first time in his playing life and will get at least two tournament rounds in at the 2027 Masters with his family surely there to celebrate with him.

But the fun wasn’t over there. Smalley’s birdie also made a minor but incredibly notable adjustment in the accounting of the leaderboard. By finishing at six under, Smalley slid up to finish the tournament tied for second. This meant that his payment for finishing in the runner-up spot was $1.804 million, or $961,000 more than the $843,000 payment delivered to the pack of finishers at five under, or T3.

For Smalley, the extra $1 million or so in his paycheck made all the difference. Prior to Sunday, he’d earned a little more than $12 million in his pro career, meaning that Sunday’s paycheck amounted to 14.5 percent of his career earnings to date.

The birdie on the last that vaulted him into a share of second place? Yep, that 3 alone was worth 7.7 percent of Smalley’s career earnings.

“This week was special,” he said. “As far as this tournament, in terms of my career, who knows? Maybe it’s a springboard. It gives me a lot of confidence coming away from this week to know that I can compete on the PGA Tour and even some of the major championships. So yeah, I think this week will do a lot for me.”

Indeed, it already has. If Smalley needs evidence, he should just check his bank account.

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Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell through to conference finals for first time

Published

9 minutes ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Donovan Mitchell Cavaliers vs Pistons NBA Playoffs Game 7

Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts after his team defeated the Detroit Pistons 125-94 in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 17, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP

Donovan Mitchell is going home after Round 2 of the playoffs again.

This time, it’s a good thing.

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Mitchell’s breakthrough moment has arrived. He’s going to the conference finals for the first time in his career. And that series will begin at Madison Square Garden, a bonus for the native New Yorker.

READ: NBA scores today: Cavaliers vs Pistons – Game 7

Nothing better than celebrating with your fiancée after the Game 7 win 🥹💯@TheRealCocoJ x @spidadmitchell pic.twitter.com/4Ua1ndIKII
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2026

In his ninth season, Mitchell has reached the NBA’s final four. He and the Cleveland Cavaliers rolled past the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday night in Game 7 — on the road, no less — of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Their reward is a trip to New York for Game 1 of the East finals against the Knicks on Tuesday.

“Me and my fiancee joked that we were going home regardless, so we might as well play some basketball while we’re at the crib,” Mitchell said. “It’s going to be special, for sure.”

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Mitchell had 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in Sunday’s romp. And when his night was over with 4:01 remaining, he had handshakes and hugs for anyone wearing Cleveland colors. He leaned down to wrap his arms around a seated Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, who said before the game that he wanted Mitchell to be himself in Game 7.

The result?

“It was better than Donovan Mitchell,” Atkinson said. “Is that possible? … It started with him, his defense, rebounding, and then when he gets in the paint and starts making other people better, you know, the dishes, dish-offs to our big guys, that was the key, I felt like, to the game. He had complete control of the game.”

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READ: NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers crush Pistons in Game 7, advance vs Knicks

Mitchell was brought to Cleveland in September 2022 in a trade with Utah, with the Cavaliers betting — correctly, it turned out — that he would be the last piece of their post-LeBron James rebuild and help them return to the playoffs.

They got to the first round in 2023, then lost in the second round in 2024 and 2025. This year, the conference finals await after the third-biggest road win a team has ever had in a Game 7.

“I’ll follow him into war,” Cavs forward Jarrett Allen said.

Mitchell has been an All-Star in each of the last seven seasons, was one of eight players to receive at least one vote in this year’s MVP balloting and will likely be an All-NBA pick for the third time.

But there was a void — the deep playoff run.

Not anymore.

“Couldn’t be happier for him, to make that next step,” Atkinson said. “He’s going home to New York. He kept this thing together this year when things weren’t going great. He was the beacon, the light … he carried us on the court.”

Added the Cavs’ Sam Merrill, who grew up in Utah and was a Jazz fan when Mitchell was there: “You’re not going to find a guy more happy for him than I am. But I know he wants more. We all want more.”

There were so many near-misses for Mitchell along the way. Mitchell’s Utah team wasted a 3-1 lead in the 2020 playoff bubble against Denver in the West semifinals, falling in seven games. A year later, the Jazz were up 2-0 in Round 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers, who ended up winning in six. He got hurt in Round 2 against Boston as that series fell apart for Cleveland in 2024, and last year the Cavaliers went 0-3 at home in the second round against Indiana on the way to a five-game ouster.

He was part of a No. 1 seed in 2021, part of a No. 1 seed again last year, and never got out of Round 2.

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Until now.

“We can’t really look at it and say, ‘All right, we did it, we got to the conference finals,’” Mitchell said. “Hey, man, that’s not the end-all. We’ve still got more to do.”

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Man United latest: Sandro Tonali ‘up for sale’ at Newcastle as record-breaking request made

Published

22 minutes ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Manchester United transfer news continues to ramp up ahead of the window opening this summer

Manchester United are reportedly making moves in the transfer market ahead of the summer window, having already secured Champions League qualification for next season. The club returns to European football after a two-year absence, and the prospect of continental competition can only strengthen their ability to attract new talent.

Midfield reinforcements will be their primary focus, with several signings required in that area. Casemiro has been confirmed as departing, while Manuel Ugarte could also be heading for the exit door.

There is no shortage of potential targets, both within the Premier League and further afield. The MEN rounds up the key headlines surrounding Old Trafford.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Tonali ‘up for sale’

Sandro Tonali is available for transfer and will depart Newcastle United this summer, according to Corriere della Sera. The Italian publication reports that United are frontrunners to sign the midfielder.

Newcastle are anticipating a substantial offer from a Premier League club. The Reds are apparently ahead of their English rivals in the race.

United would seem ready to welcome Tonali, who is said to be open to the move. As an Italian playing abroad, several Serie A clubs are interested in the boyhood Milan fan.

Newcastle’s valuation, however, appears beyond the reach of clubs such as Juventus. Reports suggest a deal for Tonali would cost well in excess of £70million, with some Italian outlets claiming the fee could reach £87million (€100million).

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United interest in record deal

Manchester United have been monitoring Christos Tzolis over recent weeks, according to Gazet van Antwerpen. Aston Villa and Juventus are also said to have shown similar interest, though the publication suggests United’s interest has been particularly strong.

Sport Witness reports that both Premier League clubs have made enquiries regarding the Club Brugge winger. Tzolis has notched 19 goals and contributed 24 assists across 49 appearances in all competitions, with three fixtures remaining in the Belgian Pro League champions’ play-off campaign.

There is reportedly a general acceptance in Bruges that the Greek international will depart this summer. Crystal Palace tabled a £28million bid twelve months ago, but his club are now holding out for a Belgian record-breaking fee.

The current benchmark is £34million, the figure Milan agreed to pay Brugge for Ardon Jashari last summer. Having stood firm on their demand for a higher fee for the Swiss international than they received for Igor Thiago, it appears that figure will serve as the starting point for any future negotiations.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

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Aaron Rai shocked the world. Here’s what he revealed in the process

Published

35 minutes ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Aaron Rai had no idea what to do.

He’d just finished off a 1-foot putt to secure the biggest win of his professional life, emerging from a peloton of heavyweights and leaving them in the dust, building a back-nine highlight reel en route to a shocking first major championship title. But the moment the job was finished, Rai seemed suddenly lost. No fist pump. No wave. He sort of wobbled in one direction, then another. And then, as the Philadelphia faithful roared, Rai did what felt most natural.

He turned to his playing partner, took off his cap and offered his hand.

“He’s just so polite,” said Ludvig Aberg a few minutes later, chuckling at the moment. “He’s got a putt to win his first major and he still said ‘good putt’ to me? He’s taking time to look me in the eye and say well done? That stands out. That’s really impressive.

“If there’s one guy I’d love to lose to, it’s probably him.”

BY NOW, YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT RAI’S IRON COVERS. If you’re a golf fan, you likely know the story. He’s the only high-profile pro who uses them — and they’re broadly considered cringe in a sport where different ain’t good. But that’s also the point. That’s how they serve to explain Aaron. The iron covers tell his story. Here’s a concise version he offered to ESPN:

“My mom and dad worked extremely hard to support me, and my dad used to buy me the best equipment that he could, and he brought me a really nice set of irons, which he paid a lot of money for. And after every practice session he used to come home and he used to clean each groove with baby oil and a pin to get all the dirt and grime out, and then he started to put iron covers on those soon after to look after them and take care of them. So the reason I [use them] now is to remember what I came from — and also to respect the things that I have.”

It’s a remarkable telling. We could leave this piece here and you’d get the idea. Rai is different. He’s grateful. He’s humble. And he’s proud of where he came from. Also, Rai can spin a neat parable.

But plenty of sons learn habits from their fathers and then discard them once they realize they’re uncool. Not Rai. So how’d he dodge the pressures of conformity and sameness? Why isn’t he wearing a white golf glove, a brand-name hat logo, a too-cool-for-school attitude, as is status quo on Tour? He pondered the question in his post-round press conference, then returned to his father.

“I think my dad played a really big role in that,” he said. It was the two of them for most of his childhood, he said. They’d practice together, read about golf, watch Tiger Woods VHS tapes. Amrik implored Aaron to stay in his lane, to control the things he could control.

“And I didn’t really mix with a lot of other junior golfers, which didn’t give me a perspective of what was normal,” Rai added. “So I think he kind of sheltered me to be able to develop in a way that made sense for me, in a way that I guess was a little bit unique — with two gloves, with iron covers, et cetera.”

By the time Rai was a teenager, playing more serious competitive golf and ultimately at the pro level, he had enough self-belief to stay the course, to double down on himself.

“I felt like I was strong enough in why I did certain things,” he said. “I knew the reasons why I do them. I believe in the reasons why I do them. So I had no reason to really shift from that as I got older.”

AARON RAI WON THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP the same way every golfer eventually succeeds: By being himself.

No, he wasn’t the major champ we expected. We entered this week on a run of brand-name winners. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler had won four of the last five, the last decade of PGA champs are all multiple major winners and there was every reason to believe that, like them, this week’s winner would come from the Tour’s tier of top-ranked, big-hitting alpha dogs.

Even with Sunday’s traffic-jam leaderboard — 30 players within five shots of the lead — there were enough big names in the mix that it seemed likely one would end up on top. When Rai bogeyed three of the first eight holes he seemed destined for the ranks of the also-rans.

But then Rai started building a highlight reel.

First with a bomb for eagle at No. 9 from the back of the green, where McIlroy had settled for par just minutes before.

Then with an incredible bunker shot at the short par-4 13th, landing his 40-yarder on top of a tiny shelf and yanking it to a stop, making birdie where Xander Schauffele had just made bogey.

Then with a glorious high-cut approach into the par-5 16th, the exact shot demanded by the hole and the moment, setting up an easy two-putt birdie that opened a gap on the rest of the field.

And then, impossibly, with a 68-foot birdie bomb at No. 17, the most crowded spectator area, sending the loudest roar of the week cascading across property. It was an exclamation point. Suddenly he was up by four. Suddenly the tournament was over. Suddenly everything had changed.

SO WHO IS AARON RAI? If the jury is his peers, he’ll come out okay.

Take Schauffele, the two-time major champ, who was thrilled to share his impressions of Rai.

“I’m super happy for him. He’s such a good dude,” he said. “Rarely do you feel like people work way harder than you … but Aaron is always there. He’s always in the gym. He’s always on the range. He’s always — you know, at the Scottish, I’m staying right on site there. I thought it would be fun for [his caddie] Austin and I to go putt. Aaron is finishing up his little putting session at 9 p.m. and going to the gym at 9:45.

“This was three years ago. I think that’s what it’s about. To be a major champion, you put the work in when nobody’s looking. Super pumped for him and his team.”

McIlroy, who won last month’s Masters, affirmed his approval rating.

“It looks like he’s going to win, which is great,” he said post-round. “You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him.”

“Aaron is a super hard-working guy,” added Matti Schmid, who finished T4. “Maybe the most hard-working guy on tour. He does everything so deliberate. Practices with so much intention. I think he does a lot of things the right way, and that’s why he’s the winner today.”

And although Jon Rahm hasn’t spent much time with Rai, he knows the iron-cover story and that tells him plenty.

“That he’s still doing it shows a lot about a person,” he said. “I have heard consistently there’s very few people that are nicer and kinder human beings than Aaron Rai.”

THERE’S A TEMPTATION TO SAY THAT RAI’S NOT COOL. That’s the subtext of the irons-cover story, of the two black golf gloves, of his insistence on politeness above all else.

But that misses the point entirely.

Rai does things his own way. Practices, plays, thinks, speaks, dresses. He won doing things his way. He’ll keep doing things his way. He’ll keep winning, too.

So he may not have had a big-time bottle-service post-round celebration lined up. But he did have something money can’t buy: His wife, Gaurika, sitting beside the stage, grinning as she lobbed a promise his way:

“I can take you to Chipotle!”

He grinned.

“We’ll probably go to Chipotle.”

With a trophy in tow.

What could be cooler than that?

Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

“>

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Top Mariners prospect Colt Emerson recalled from Tacoma

Published

51 minutes ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

MLB: Spring Training-Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Dodgers

Feb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners recalled top prospect infielder Colt Emerson prior to Sunday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Seattle placed infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (groin) on the 10-day injured list to open up a roster spot. The IL move is retroactive to May 16.

Emerson, 20, is set to make his major league debut. He is in the lineup at third base and batting ninth against the Padres.

Emerson is rated as Seattle’s No. 1 prospect and the sixth overall in the majors by MLB Pipeline.

According to the Mariners, Emerson (20 years, 301 days) will be the youngest player to make his Seattle debut since right-hander Felix Hernandez (19 years, 118 days) on Aug. 4, 2005.

Emerson is the second-youngest player to debut in the majors this season behind Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (age 19).

The left-handed-hitting Emerson is batting .255 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 38 games at Triple-A Tacoma this season. He was a first-round pick (22nd overall) in the 2023 draft.

On March 31, Emerson signed an eight-year, $95 million deal with the Mariners through the 2033 season with a club option for 2034.

Donovan, 29, is batting .274 with three homers and eight RBIs in 25 games this season. He was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason.

–Field Level Media

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Astros 2B Jose Altuve placed on IL with Grade 2 left oblique strain

Published

1 hour ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

May 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) reacts after batting during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will go on the injured list after exiting Saturday’s game with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Houston manager Joe Espada told reporters Sunday.

Altuve underwent an MRI exam Sunday morning after he was removed ahead of the ninth inning. During his eighth-inning at-bat, he grimaced after connecting on a grounder to third and did not run out the play, instead walking back to the dugout in pain.

Espada did not share an idea of a timeline for how long Altuve could be sidelined.

“Obviously just not what we wanted to hear,” Espada said. “But we find ourselves having to fight through this one here. So these young players are going to continue to get opportunities.”

The Astros are already without third baseman Carlos Correa, who had season-ending ankle surgery, and Jeremy Pena, who has been sidelined since April 11 with a hamstring strain but could return as soon as Monday in Minnesota.

Altuve, 36, is hitting .245 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 42 games this season. The nine-time All-Star has played his entire 16-year career with Houston, posting a career .302 average with 259 homers and 901 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

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Sel Jem is 14/1 winner of Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris

Published

1 hour ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Sel Jem (14/1) won the 2026 Le Défi Des Haras Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at Auteuil on Sunday afternoon.

Ridden by Johnny Charron, who won the French Champion Hurdle yesterday aboard Losange Bleu, among three winners on Saturday, has now completed the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double in the one season.

Handled by the training combination of Lageneste and Macaire, the nine-year-old ran out an easy 13-length victor over the 3 mile 5 furlong and 181 yard course.

An incredible comeback story!
SEL JEM wins back his Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris crown in style at Auteuil… pic.twitter.com/H3caLSp6dA
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— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2026

Run in driving rain and on ground described as Soft to Heavy, 33/1 chance Bon Garcon finished as runner-up, with Gold Tweet a further length and a quarter next in third place.

There wasn’t any Irish representation in the weekend’s feature race at the Parisian racecourse, but the Willie Mullins-trained Selma De Vary won the Grade 1 Prix Alain Du Breil Hurdle for four-year-old half an hour earlier.

The post Sel Jem is 14/1 winner of Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

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Cavaliers crush Pistons in game 7, punch ticket to Eastern Conference Finals against Knicks

Published

1 hour ago

18 May 2026

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Cavaliers crush Pistons in game 7, punch ticket to Eastern Conference Finals against Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

When the pressure reaches its highest point, the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to find another gear.

Facing a win-or-go-home situation Sunday night, Cleveland delivered its most complete performance of the postseason, overwhelming the top-seeded Detroit Pistons 125-94 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will now face the third-seeded New York Knicks, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday night in New York.

Cleveland entered the postseason with questions surrounding its consistency. Outside of blockbuster trade additions and occasional flashes throughout the regular season, the Cavaliers often seemed to drift through stretches of games. But Game 7 situations have become a different story altogether.

With the victory, Cleveland won its sixth consecutive Game 7, the second-longest streak in NBA history. The Cavaliers have now survived two Game 7 battles this postseason and continue proving they are at their best when everything is on the line.

Donovan Mitchell again led the way, scoring 26 points while setting the tone offensively. But unlike previous games in the series, Cleveland received major contributions throughout the lineup.

Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 points, while Evan Mobley controlled the interior with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Mobley’s impact on both ends of the floor helped Cleveland seize control early and gradually wear down Detroit.

Move within four wins of NBA Finals

The victory sends Cleveland to the conference finals for the first time since 2018 and marks the franchise’s ninth appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. It is also the Cavaliers’ deepest postseason run since LeBron James’ final season with the organization.

For Mitchell, the moment carries additional significance. After multiple playoff disappointments earlier in his career, he now finds himself one step closer to an NBA Finals appearance.

Detroit’s season, meanwhile, ends after a remarkable turnaround campaign. The Pistons exceeded expectations and pushed the East’s top contenders throughout the playoffs, but Sunday’s stage ultimately belonged to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers spent much of the season searching for consistency.

Now they are just four wins away from the NBA Finals.

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Cavs’ Mitchell breaks through, reaching conference finals for the first time

Published

2 hours ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

He’s going to the conference finals for the first time. And the series will begin at Madison Square Garden, a bonus for the native New Yorker.

They got to the first round in 2023, then lost in the second round in 2024 and 2025. This year, the conference finals await after the third-biggest road win a team has ever had in a Game 7.

But there was a void — the deep playoff run.

He was part of a No. 1 seed in 2021, part of a No. 1 seed again last year, and never got out of Round 2.

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Cavaliers crush Pistons in Game 7, advance vs Knicks

Published

2 hours ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 17, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP

DETROIT — Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on Sunday night in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

The fourth-seeded Cavaliers ousted the East’s top seed and will face the third-seeded New York Knicks. Game 1 of that series tips off Tuesday in New York.

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READ: NBA Playoffs: Game 7s have been kind to Cavaliers, Pistons over the years

MITCHELL, ALLEN AND MERRILL GET THE JOB DONE IN GAME 7!@spidadmitchell: 26p, 7r, 8a@_bigjayy_: 23p, 7r@smerrill05: 23p, 5 3pm
Cavs advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018 👏 pic.twitter.com/EEV47oiANr
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2026

Evan Mobley had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2018 and the ninth time in team history. It’s their deepest run since LeBron James’ final season with the franchise.

Daniss Jenkins scored 17 points, and Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each finished with 13 for the Pistons, who fell one win shy of their first conference finals appearance since 2008 after forcing the deciding game with a Game 6 victory Friday night.

The Cavs dictated the pace from the opening tip and never allowed the Pistons to gain traction, then blew open a convincing Game 7 performance when Mitchell scored 15 in the third quarter.

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US PGA Championship 2026: England’s Aaron Rai wins first major after a sensational final-day performance at Aronimink

Published

2 hours ago

18 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Behind Rahm and Smalley, there was a three-way tie on five under between American two-time champion Justin Thomas, Swedish Ryder Cup star Ludvig Aberg and little-known German Matthias Schmid.

Former world number one Thomas had posted the early target after a five-under 65, then sat back in the clubhouse to watch and wait patiently – while hoping for a “little bit of help” to win.

The wind did not whip up as Thomas hoped. Yet, with the severely-sloped greens playing firm in the Pennsylvanian sun, and the thick rough continuing to be penal, scoring opportunities remained at a premium.

For almost everyone other than Rai.

All week long it felt like a strategic thinker would be the one to prevail and Rai, known on tour for his diligence, carefully plotted his way to victory.

Keeping his ball on the fairway from the tee proved to be an effective tactic – he was joint second best on Sunday and fourth for the week – which others did not find as simple.

Once Rai moved clear of the pack on seven under – thanks to birdies on the 11th and 13th – it looked like a score which would not be caught.

In what was now by far the biggest moment of his career, an emotionless Rai stayed in the zone. The experience of beating a strong field at the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi Championship in November was perhaps something he was able to draw on.

Another tap-in birdie on the par-five 16th put more daylight between him and the pack, before a putt from the other end of the measuring stick put victory within touching distance.

Rai somehow negotiated an impossible-looking putt to move three shots clear of his rivals. Only then did he show a flicker of emotion.

But the gentle fist pump as the fans around him went wild was telling and perfectly encapsulated how Rai has become a major champion – by keeping calm in the eye of the storm.

“I definitely wasn’t trying to hole that putt,” Rai smiled as he clutched the Wanamaker Trophy.

“The shadow of the pin gave a really nice line for the last 10 feet so that helped with the visual.

“It just tracked really well – it was amazing to see it go in.”

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