NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) — A brief look at the final round of the PGA Championship:
THE VICTOR: Aaron Rai made six birdies in his last 10 holes for a 5-under 65 to win by three shots at 9-under 271.
THE SPOILS: Rai won $3,690,000. He can play the PGA Championship the rest of his career and has a five-year exemption to the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open.
THE SILVER MEDALS: Jon Rahm (68) and Alex Smalley (70) tied for second.
THE CONSOLATION PRIZE: Smalley moved from No. 78 to No. 42 in the world, making him exempt for the U.S. Open. His runner-up finish gets him in the Masters for the first time, and at No. 42 he is a lock to stay in the top 50 and be exempt for the British Open.
KEY MOMENT: Rai had seven straight one-putt greens in the middle of his round, which included a 40-foot eagle putt on No. 9, a 10-foot par save on No. 10 and a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 13 to take the lead of good.
BONUS SHOT: Rai holed a 70-foot birdie putt on the 17th green to go four shots ahead with one hole to play.
KEY STATISTIC: The previous two players who went at least 6 under over the last 10 holes to win a major were Cameron Smith at St. Andrews in 2022 and Jack Nicklaus in the 1986 Masters.
NOTEWORTHY: Rai is the first player from England to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919.
QUOTEWORTHY: “To be here is definitely outside of my wildest imagination.” — Rai.
NEXT YEAR: Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf