Aaron Rai picked up a life-changing major championship win on Sunday at Aronimink Golf Club.
And he did so while being the only man in the field wearing two golf gloves.
Rai posted a 5-under 65, his best ever round at a major, on Sunday to pull away from the field and grab a three-shot win for a 9-under finish at the PGA Championship. He did so in part after draining a wild 68-foot birdie at the 17th, too.
Rai entered the week at No. 44 in the Official World Golf Rankings, and had just a single PGA Tour win to his name. The victory on Sunday earned him a nearly $3.7 million check, too.
But Rai did all of that while wearing two black gloves, which was an unusual sight.
Wearing two gloves is nothing new for Rai, who has been doing this for years. The Englishman wears both of them for every shot, except for when he’s putting or hitting out of a bunker.
It turns out that’s just a thing Rai started doing randomly when he was just 8 years old, partly out of necessity while practicing in colder weather to keep his hands warm. Then it just stuck.
Aaron Rai is looking for his first career major championship win. (Carl Recine/Getty Images) (Carl Recine via Getty Images)
“I just happened to be given these two gloves — the guy who actually makes them sent a pair over — and I got into the habit of wearing them,” Rai told GolfMonthly in 2025. “Then, a few weeks down the line, my dad forgot to put the two gloves in the bag so I had to play with one. It was terrible. I couldn’t play, I couldn’t feel the grip, so I’ve always stuck with the two gloves ever since.”
Clearly, the two gloves strategy worked out for him.
Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley finished in second at 6-under on the week. Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg and Matti Schmid finished four back of Rai at 5-under.
While Rai’s golf career is taking off, and he’s secured a spot in the biggest events on the golf calendar for years to come, the two-glove method isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
It’s just a shame he didn’t lift the Wanamaker Trophy with them on. That would’ve been iconic.
