Aaron Rai has said he plans to “catch up” with Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald in the coming days as talk continues to grow about the possibility of him joining the European team ahead of next year’s tournament at Adare Manor.
The 31-year-old became the first Briton to win the PGA Championship in 107 years on Sunday, blasting his way through a packed field of players to win by three strokes.
The 2027 Ryder Cup is still 16 months away, but Rai’s stunning performance has improved his chances of securing a place in the biennial tournament held in Ireland.
Aaron Rai became the first Briton to win the PGA Championship in 107 years.
On Thursday the Briton revealed he had not spoken to Luke Donald since winning his first major title, but added: “I will catch up with him in the future.”
Rai, who decided to withdraw from this week’s PGA Tour event, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, explained immediately after his win on Sunday that he was not sold on talk of playing in the 2027 Ryder Cup.
The Wolverhampton-born golfer competed to secure a place in the European squad to play for Bethpage Black in 2025 but missed out on a place in the squad. He said Thursday that the experience of being considered for selection will be a huge help when he competes for a spot again next year.
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Aaron Rai shot a 5-under 65 to win the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. This round included some incredible shot-making and putting.
“It seems like a long way off,” Lai said. “The Ryder Cup qualifiers haven’t even started yet, but I haven’t thought too much about it because I know how well I have to play to be in that frame next year.
“I’ve really enjoyed exploring this issue over the past few years and experiencing the results and what it’s like.
“Hopefully I can learn a few things from this experience next year, but there’s a lot of golf I have to do and a lot of good grades to be considered for the team.”
The Briton took a similar approach in Sunday’s final round, explaining that he was taking one step at a time and trying to avoid looking at the leaderboard while blocking the advances of Jon Rahm, Alex Smalley and Justin Thomas.
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Luke Donald has confirmed he will become a historic third European Ryder Cup team captain in an interview with the Sky Sports Golf Podcast.
“I definitely felt that if I could keep doing what I was doing through the last few holes, we would have a very good chance,” he explained. “But I also knew how difficult the last few holes were and how well I had to play to keep the round going, so I tried not to get too ahead of myself and think I had a chance.
“So I didn’t take it for granted. I knew I probably had a chance to be in that position, but I tried not to get too far ahead of myself beyond the last few holes.”
Lai’s wife’s ‘powerful’ message
Britain’s Aaron Rai looks at the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship.
Ahead of last Sunday’s final round, Rai revealed that his wife Gaurika, an accomplished golfer who has played on the Ladies European Tour, gave him some words of encouragement to help him envision victory at Aronimink.
“She is very honest with me,” Lai said. “Sometimes it’s through the positive aspects she sees, but sometimes it’s also through the things I lack.
“So I think the deeper consistent message would be honesty through the good and the not-so-good.
“One of the special pieces of advice she gave me on Saturday night, and even on Sunday morning, was really reassuring, saying, ‘You’re ready.’ It felt really powerful when she said that, because she said it on Saturday night, and she said it on Sunday before we started.”
Rai won’t treat himself after depositing $3.69 million check in the bank
Aaron Rai’s career wins
Rai also opened up about the sacrifices his parents made to enable him to reach the highest level.
A humble Rai, who received $3.69 million (£2.75 million) on Sunday, explained that he had no plans to treat himself but would buy something nice for his family.
“I have a really nice house in Jacksonville, I’ve lived in it for three years now and I love it,” Rai said.
“I imported a car from England three years ago, I really like it and wouldn’t trade it for anything, so there’s nothing on my mind.
“I feel like I want to give something to a few family members, but I also want to give something thoughtful rather than just something that’s worth X amount.”
Rai was praised for his relentless work ethic by Xander Schauffele on Sunday. The Englishman explained that his commitment to hard work was a lesson his parents instilled in him from an early age. But Rai’s hard work won’t stop after his first major win.
After Sunday’s win, Aaron Rai has now won twice on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship and the Wyndham Championship.
“There is always development and growth in the game,” Rai said. “How you progress is part of what defines whether growth moves you forward. There will still be a lot of little things in different areas of the game that can be improved.
“But there have been so many positive signs within my game over the past week, and over the last two years in general, in different parts of the world and across different styles of golf, that show it’s in a really, really good place.”
Watch The CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sky Sports Golf until Sunday, with Scottie Scheffler the defending champion. Access or stream Sky Sports with no contract.
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