Sunday at the 2024 Wyndham Championship was a lot like what Aaron Rae has been up to on the PGA Tour. Since joining the tour in 2022, the 29-year-old Englishman has been relentlessly searching for a breakthrough moment. That moment came on August 11, but before then, Rae had dealt with his own challenges. Rae dealt with psychology and tough conditions at Sedgefield Country Club during a tropical storm, and it almost didn’t happen this time around.
As the tournament extended into the second day and players completed 36 holes on Sunday — the tournament was still not over, with Matt Kuchar leaving on the 18th hole — Rai had to give it his all and prove he was no longer willing to accept the label of “handicap winner” again.
Heading into the final event of the PGA Tour’s 2024 regular season, his career stats in 88 starts include 1 runner-up, 1 third place, 5 top-5s and 10 top-10s. The closest he ever came to a win was a T2 finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in June of this year. But that week gave him a confidence boost, and he had a string of good results in the weeks that followed. Judging from those results that have been punctuated throughout his schedule this season, this week’s solid performance was certainly a good sign – and it ultimately led to Aaron Rai coming out on top at the 2024 Wyndham Championship to capture his first PGA title.
PGA Tour 2024: Aaron Rai wins Wyndham Championship
The championship was waiting to be chosen, but the odds were stacked high on golf courses and bookmakers. To get to the top, he climbed several spots to face overnight leader Max Greisserman, who shot a career-low 10-under 60 on Day 2 and has kept the momentum going ever since.
Rai played so solid golf that he didn't look at the leaderboard and shot a bogey-free, 6-under 64, capped by a birdie that was crucial to the outcome.
Rai finished one shot ahead and was pleased with his performance. [at the leaderboard] No such information was asked [being four back with four holes to go]… I think that’s probably a good thing, it helps me focus on playing golf. I’m playing pretty well, and I know if I can play well, then you never know what’s going to happen.”
That's how it went, as the prospect of a breakout rookie season may have overwhelmed Gresserman. He was nearly flawless and rode the momentum of two eagles, a quadruple on the 14th and a double on the 16th, leading to a serious loss of momentum.
Gretherman needed birdies on the final two holes to force a playoff, but ultimately fell short. Rai's strategy worked, and he won by two strokes at 18-under 262, adding more stability to the rest of the tournament.
His growth as a player – five wins on the DP World Tour and his latest highest finish in the United States – has followed the same pattern of growth for the team, at a quiet but clear pace.
“I recently started [coach] “John Graham, he’s been a big help to me. My dad has been a big help to me as well, just visualizing the putt a little bit better. That’s been really helpful the last couple of weeks. I think my short game and my bunker game has improved,” Rai said.
As someone who is used to hard training, Rai knows there will be many opportunities in the future, but he refuses to be swayed. The FedEx Cup playoffs kick off this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and although Rai is currently a solid 25th, he also recognizes the uncertainty of golf.
“It’s a great accomplishment to make this progress, but a lot of things can go wrong or good in the next three weeks, so we still have a long way to go before the FedEx Cup playoffs and the end of the year.”
Solid bearings
The calm and collected Rai's demeanor on the golf course reflects his upbringing. Rai has recently moved into the back group as his numbers on the course have been trending upward, and in recent times he has been in or near the lead group.
Rai, who realized what it takes to win on the PGA Tour after watching the tournaments, admired his peers and impressed by first welcoming champion Cam Davis at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and first welcoming Robert MacIntyre at the Genesis Scottish Open.
“I always congratulate the winner. It's an amazing achievement and everyone who plays on the PGA Tour has been on a special journey. When it ends with a win, it feels so special,” he said.
Rai attributes this character to his upbringing. “My parents play a big role in everything I do. Faith, meditation, being grounded and being grateful are the values they instilled in me from a very young age. Yes, I guess I try to do the same now.”
A bitter pill to swallow
Max Greisserman's time is coming, and it's coming soon. He led for much of Sunday until a bad tee shot on the 14th hole had a ripple effect. The round was a mess, but clarity came as he viewed the final stretch as a win.
“In a 72-hole tournament, you're going to hit bad tee shots. If it hadn't landed in the fairway, we might have had a different situation. It doesn't mean that one bounce is why I didn't win, it's what happened after that,” he said of the double bogey on the 16th hole that effectively cost him contention.
After the 3M Open, he finished second in two straight tournaments. Rather than despair, the 29-year-old sought solace in those misses. “Played well enough to get away with it. Obviously, sometimes things happen in golf that shouldn't happen. I would say I played really, really well, performed really well, and was four shots ahead. If you do that on the PGA Tour, you're doing really well.”
Whirlwind Stretch
Luke Clanton hasn’t turned pro yet, but if six starts on tour are any indication, the 20-year-old is a future star.
In his first regular season event, he finished T10 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and then T2 at the John Deere Classic. With 39 holes to play on Sunday, Clanton will have to play to his strengths.
If the final day was a frenzy for everyone else, Clanton was under even more pressure. With three holes left in the second round, he faced a major dilemma.
Although he shot 68, he wasn't sure he'd make the cut until he signed for 67 and 62, missing the cut by one shot. It also settled the debate over whether to leave early or head to Minnesota to prepare for the U.S. Amateur.
Clanton closed with a 69 to tie for fifth, holding up under pressure like a seasoned player who will use that experience as he aims for top honors at the U.S. Amateur.
“I put myself in contention again. And it's awesome to be able to say I was close to the lead down the stretch. It was a big learning experience for me and, as a 20-year-old, it's awesome,” Clanton said.
Unique Situation
The Wyndham Championship crowned Aaron Rai as the 2024 champion, but the $7.9 million event doesn’t officially end until Monday, August 14.
Matt Kuchar is the only player to qualify for the playoffs in every season since the FedEx Cup’s inception in 2007, and winning this tournament would guarantee that spot.
The Wyndham Championship ended at 8:06 a.m., with Matt Kuchar making par on the 18th hole to tie for 12th.
— PGA TOUR Comms (@PGATOURComms) August 12, 2024
That didn't happen. He was on the 18th fairway when the lights dimmed and told the referee he wanted to come back the next day to finish. Kuchar opened with consecutive 64s and was initially the clear leader, but fell away in the third round with a 70, and the trend has continued. He returned on his own Monday to finish the tournament.
(Main/Featured Image: PGA Tour/Instagram)
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
