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Aaron Rai wins 2026 PGA Championship by three shots with final-round 65

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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.

Aaron Rai of England

Aaron Rai of England tees off on the 2nd hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) (David Cannon/Getty Images)

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.

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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.

Aaron Rai of England hits an iron

Aaron Rai of England hits his second shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) (David Cannon/Getty Images)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Aaron Rai of England acknowledges the crowd

Aaron Rai of England acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 17, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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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.

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Trump hosts UFC cage fight on the White House lawn

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Thousands are expected at the mixed martial arts fight, which coincides with Trump’s 80th birthday.

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Coeur Volante returns to winner’s list at Sandown in 2026

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Jockey in pink helmet and black-and-pink vest rides a brown horse during a race on a grassy track, leaning forward in action.

The decision to bring Coeur Volante back into training has paid off, with the mare finding success at Sandown.

Her victory in the IVE> Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday was her second start for her new owners, who purchased her for $500,000 last spring through Widden Stud and Bangaloe Stud.

Coeur Volante had been sent to stud after finishing last at Flemington in the spring but was returned to training when she failed to get in foal.

She resumed racing with the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and Jd Hayes, finishing third at Caulfield on May 30, before appreciating an increase in distance on Saturday.

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With the advantage of Jackson Radley’s 3kg claim, Coeur Volante ($4.60) won by 1-¼ lengths from Boltsaver ($5), with Punch Lane ($5) a nose behind in third.

J D Hayes mentioned that the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 27 would be considered for the mare.

Coeur Volante ran second last in the Tatt’s Tiara last year, marking the end of a long campaign.

“It’s a good problem for our Monday discussions whether we potentially head north or just keep her down here,” Hayes shared.

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“She’s in a really good system at the moment and has come through the Pakenham base and she presented in fantastic order.”

“I dare say she could be a bit of an ATM at the moment.”

“We’re very thankful to the ownership group for giving her back to us to train.”

“She had a bit of time off and came back refreshed and in good order and certainly benefitted from her last run.”

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“She got a beautiful run in transit and when the race changed complexion, Jackson rode her perfectly.”

“It was good to see her get her head in the winner’s stall as it had been a while between drinks.”

Saturday’s win was Coeur Volante’s first since claiming the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February 2025, just days before her previous trainer Mike Moroney passed away after a long battle with illness.

Consider the top Australian betting sites for your wagers.

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NFL fans react as Dillon Gabriel reveals new Browns jersey number

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Dillon Gabriel debuted a new jersey number this week at the Cleveland Browns’ mandatory minicamp, switching from No. 8 to No. 6. The change comes after Jared Verse, who was acquired earlier this month in a blockbuster trade involving Myles Garrett, took the No. 8 jersey.

The quarterback, who’s entering his second season in the NFL, appears to be dreaming of something big with his new jersey. He made waves on Saturday after posting a picture of Baker Mayfield in the No. 6 jersey during his days with the Browns on his Instagram story.

While the post appears ordinary on the surface, many believe Gabriel is sending a message with it. It’s been interpreted as the quarterback seeing his situation in Cleveland mirroring that of Mayfield, as he’s currently projected to be a third-stringer next season.

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Baker Mayfield was drafted as the first-overall pick by the Browns in 2018 after a successful college career at Oklahoma. Despite early glimpses of brilliance, he had a turbulent four-year tenure with the Browns. He’s nonetheless grown to become one of the best in the NFL outside of Cleveland.

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Gabriel’s Instagram post and the cryptic message it seemingly passed have generated a lot of reactions among NFL fans. While the quarterback is projecting a successful career for himself, fans had different opinions regarding the post, featuring Baker Mayfield.

Here’s a look at some of the reactions online:

@ESPNCleveland Disrespectful to Baker smh 🤦‍♂️

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@ESPNCleveland Mans asking for his release

@ESPNCleveland Maybe now that he is wearing Bakers number he’ll get that Dawg attitude that Baker had!

@ESPNCleveland That clown blocked me on IG 😂😂😂😂😂

@ESPNCleveland Maybe I’m a Dillon Gabriel fan now

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@ESPNCleveland Don’t disrespect baker like that maybe they should have kept em 🤷🏽‍♂️

Rich Eisen explains what jersey change means for Dillon Gabriel

Rich Eisen believes the Browns’ taking away the No. 8 jersey from Dillon Gabriel and handing it to Jared Verse passed a message. On his podcast on Wednesday, the NFL Network analyst noted the move signifies where Gabriel, who started six games last season, stands in the ongoing QB race.

“We just heard why Dillon Gabriel’s wearing No. 6, because [Todd Monken] didn’t mention Dillon’s in the running for starter for this team,” Rich Eisen said. “Shedeur has clearly separated himself from Dillon Gabriel. The Dillon Gabriel vs. Shedeur days appear to be over. He’s talking about Deshaun and Shedeur.

“Some coaches will be like, ‘The whole quarterback room is involved. Everybody. Have your head on a swivel if you’re in the quarterback room because I might call your number — 8 or 6.’ It sure sounds like Dillon Gabriel’s got a mountain to climb here. That’s what that sounded like to me. He lost his number and apparently his No. 2 on the depth chart ranking.”

Gabriel started the 2025 season as the backup quarterback to Joe Flacco under Kevin Stefanski. He took the starting role in Week 5 as Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. He, however, lost it after suffering a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.