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Aaron Rai captured the first major championship of his career Sunday at the 2026 PGA Championship, but the English golfer’s record payday will quickly shrink after taxes and expenses are deducted.
Rai surged to victory at Aronimink Golf Club with a brilliant final-round 65, finishing ahead of a crowded leaderboard that included Matti Schmid, Justin Thomas, and Rory McIlroy.
The win earned Rai the largest paycheck of his career and the biggest winner’s prize in PGA Championship history.
The 108th PGA Championship featured a record purse of $20.5 million, an increase of $1.5 million from the previous year.
Rai earned $3.69 million for the victory.
Before Sunday, Rai’s career earnings totaled just over $13 million, according to PGA Tour statistics. Only about $1 million of that total had previously come in major championships.
The 31-year-old golfer from Wolverhampton, England, entered the final round at 4-under before separating himself from the field with one of the best rounds of the tournament.
Rai gained additional attention throughout the week for his trademark two black gloves and iron covers, habits he has maintained since childhood.
He also became the first English golfer to win the PGA Championship since 1919.
Although Rai earned nearly $3.7 million for the victory, a large portion of that money is expected to go toward taxes and expenses.
Rai currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida, but because the tournament took place in Pennsylvania, he is expected to pay both federal and state taxes on the winnings.
The top federal tax rate in the United States currently sits at 37 percent for high earners, meaning approximately $1.3 million to $1.4 million could be owed to the IRS before deductions.
Pennsylvania’s flat state income tax rate of 3.07 percent would add another estimated $113,000.
Professional golfers also traditionally pay their caddies around 10 percent of tournament winnings for a victory.
That means Rai’s caddie could receive roughly $369,000 from the win.
After taxes, agent fees, and caddie payments are accounted for, Rai could ultimately lose around $1.7 million or more from the record purse.
For fans, Rai effectively secured the championship on the 17th hole when he drained a massive birdie putt from 68 feet away.
The dramatic putt pushed him to a four-shot lead and ignited the crowd surrounding the closing holes at Aronimink.
The grandstands around the 17th and 18th holes amplified the cheers as Rai closed in on the biggest win of his career.
However, Rai’s caddie, Jason Timmis, later pointed to an earlier moment as the true turning point in the round.
“We were one over through eight and a little out of the tournament. His putting was probably his strength today which, well, I don’t think I’ve ever said that!
“Those two shots into 18 and the two best shots I’ve seen him hit. Lovely drive. Lovely five iron high fade, to 20ft.
After making back-to-back bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes, Rai briefly appeared to be slipping out of contention before responding with an eagle on the par-5 ninth.
Speaking to the DP World Tour after the victory, Timmis said, “The turning point was nine, making eagle. That putt shifted the momentum.”
“We were one over through eight, a little out of the tournament, and it shifted it nicely,” he continued. “His putting was probably his strength today, which I don’t think I have ever said.”
Rai carried that momentum throughout the back nine, where he posted a flawless 31 on his way to a three-shot victory.
Meanwhile, McIlroy watched from the 18th green after his own frustrating round, which included a heated exchange with a fan earlier in the day.
As Rai approached the final green, fans stood and applauded the new major champion.
According to reports from the course, the atmosphere around the 18th green shifted fully toward celebrating Rai’s breakthrough victory.
Perry Miller Carpenter Perry Carpenter is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. She is also a standout contributor at Heavy.com’s sister site Entertainment Now. More about Perry Miller Carpenter
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