NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA. — Aaron Rai won the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., on Sunday, finishing at nine-under-par 271 to claim his first major championship. The victory made Rai the first English-born player to have his name engraved on the Wanamaker Trophy since Jim Barnes in 1919.

Rai closed with a five-under-par 65 to win by three shots over Alex Smalley and Jon Rahm. Smalley began the day as the 54-hole leader but surrendered the top spot after a double bogey on the sixth hole. Rahm closed with a 68, making two bogeys on the front nine and one birdie on the back nine.

The final round began with 22 players within four shots of the lead, a PGA Championship record. Rai pulled clear with a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth hole and one-putted seven consecutive greens during the round. He clinched the victory by holing a birdie putt of approximately 70 feet on the 17th green.

Justin Thomas posted a final-round 65 of his own, capped by a 16-foot par putt on the 18th hole that briefly moved him within one shot of the lead.

Before the win, Rai had captured one PGA Tour title and three European Tour titles, and had never finished inside the top 15 at any major championship. As a boy, he once dreamed of being a Formula 1 driver before taking up golf. He plays wearing two gloves and uses plastic covers on each of his irons. "To remember where I came from and to respect what I have," Rai said, referring to his use of the iron covers.

Rahm spoke about the same habit after the round. "Anybody that uses head covers in his irons because he coveted his irons when he was a kid so much that he wanted to respect the equipment and to still do it? Yeah, it shows a lot about a person." Rahm added, "What he did today is nothing short of special."

Xander Schauffele also commented on the new champion. "Super pumped for him and his team," Schauffele said. "All-world gentleman, no doubt."