“PRO”FILE – TOURING PROFESSIONAL – AARON RAI

There are two things Aaron Rai does that almost no other touring professional does: 1) He uses club covers for his irons, and 2) He wears two gloves, ala Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey. But unlike Gainey and most golfers, Rai is now a major champion, having fended off golf’s best field in winning the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

Rai uses club covers on his irons in honor of his upbringing and his father, who bought a young Rai a set of high-dollar irons, and to take care of them so they wouldn’t get banged up, used club covers. He wears two gloves because that’s what he did as a youth playing in England’s sometimes cold and rainy climate, and the habit stuck.

Rai won twice on the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) before securing his playing privileges on the PGA Tour. He is also the winner of another DP World Tour event in 2025 and won the 2024 Wyndham Championship. His record to date suggests he will continue to be a steady player going forward and perhaps occasionally making some noise in major championships again.