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| Monday May 18, 2026 |
PGA Championship Takeaways
▪️ Aaron Rai wins the 2026 PGA Championship, becoming the first player representing England to win this championship since Jim Barnes won the first two editions, in 1916 and 1919.
▪️ The last three players to shoot 6 under or better over their final 10 holes are Aaron Rai (6 under, 2026 PGA Championship), Cameron Smith, 6-under, 2022 Open Championship) and Jack Nicklaus, 7 under, 1986 Masters).
▪️ Aaron Rai, who shot 70-69-67-65, becomes the first champion in PGA Championship history to lower his score in each round. It happened only seven previous times in all major championships:
▪️ In the era of the four current major championships (since 1934), there has never been an instance of the first two majors of the season being won by Europeans. The last year that at least two majors were won by Europeans was 2016: Danny Willet (England, Masters) and Henrik Stenson (Sweden, Open Championship).
▪️ Kurt Kitayama tied the major championship record for the lowest score in a final round (63). He is just the second player to do it in the PGA Championship, joining Brad Faxon in 1995. It is the 21st round of 63 or better in the PGA Championship. The record, for any round, is 62, by Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry, both in 2024 at Valhalla GC.
POLL
▪️ Will PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, 31, be a one-hit major champion or will he win more? | Vote
▪️ Previous: What will become of Bryson DeChambeau's professional career? | Results
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
▪️ What are your opinions of the PGA Championship — the winner, the overall play, the course? | Respond
▪️ Previous: The 19th hole. After a round, what is your go-to drink and / or meal? | Read
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Readers of The First Call share their favorite post-round food and beverage go-tos.
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▪️ Aaron Rai runs away with the PGA Championship, first English-born winner in more than a century
[Doug Ferguson | Associated Press | Read]
▪️ The 2026 PGA Championship was defiantly weird until the bitter end
[Shane Ryan | Golf Digest | Read]
▪️ Justin Thomas was ‘pissed off.’ On PGA Championship Sunday, he found serenity
[Michael Bamberger | Golf.com | Read]
▪️ Cam Smith lost the PGA Championship. But it didn’t look like it up close
[Josh Schrock | Golf.com | Read]
▪️ Aaron Rai: ‘I turned pro when I was 17. I wasn’t ready’
[Aaron Rai | Golf Digest | Read]
▪️ Rory McIlroy has angry exchange with fan at PGA. Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Xander Schauffele also fade
[Bob Lentz | Associated Press | Read]
▪️ Lottie Woad wins Kroger Queen City Championship for 2nd LPGA Tour title
[Associated Press | Read]
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Guest: Brandel Chamblee, Golf Channel analyst.
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JUNE
9-10: Multi-Course & Resort Operators Retreat 2026, Monterey, California | Info
To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.
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