After an underwhelming Round 1, Rory McIlroy could not quite mount enough of a comeback to catch Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship. McIlroy was still able to notch another top-10 finish at T7.
The star was being interviewed when Rai had all but secured his first major win. McIlroy admitted that Rai had a big cheering section from his fellow PGA Tour golfers.
“Yeah, I think not birdieing the two par-5s and making the bogey at the drivable par-4 13th,” McIlroy noted in his PGA Championship media session on May 18, 2026, following his final round. “To me I felt like I played the golf I needed to play the rest of the way. If I birdied the two par-5s and turned that 5 into a 3 on 13, the day looks very different.
“Even though, look, Aaron is getting away from the field a little bit and looks like he’s going to win, which is great. You won’t find one person on property who’s not happy for him.”
Rory McIlroy’s Schedule: The Star Will Skip the Next 2 PGA Tour Tournaments
Fans will have to wait a bit to see McIlroy play again on the PGA Tour. McIlroy will skip both the Byron Nelson and Charles Schwab Challenge as the golfer once again opts to rest following a major.
The star revealed that his next tournament will be the Memorial Tournament which tees off on June 4. McIlroy clearly has his eyes on the next major which is the U.S. Open on June 18.
“Yeah, I’m going to take a couple weeks off, and then Memorial will be my next one,” McIlroy noted.
Aaron Rai Is Proud of English, Kenyan and Indian Roots
After the victory, Rai emphasized that he is proud of all the different countries his family represents, which includes English, Kenyan and Indian roots.
Rai grew up in England but his mom’s family immigrated from Kenya while his dad’s family arrived from India.
“But I’m very proud to be from England,” Rai told reporters on May 17. “That’s where I grew up. That’s where a lot of my family still live. I’m very proud of India and Kenya as well. My mom grew up there.
“My mom’s side of the family lived there for a number of years before they moved to England. My sister now lives there. My mom still spends a lot of time in Kenya. Again, going back a couple of generations, both of my sets of grandparents from my mom and dad’s side were from India,” Rai continued.
“Again, I’m very proud of representing all three really. … All I can say is I’m very proud to be a mix of all of them.”
Byron Nelson Odds: Scottie Scheffler Is the Heavy Favorite to Win
Heading into the Byron Nelson, Scottie Scheffler is a heavy favorite to once again win in his home state. The golf odds have Scheffler as the favorite to win at +150 with Si Woo Kim next in line at +1250, per DraftKings.
Following his PGA Championship victory, Rai is still down the list in the odds at +4300. The good news for the field is that McIlroy will not be competing at the event.
Rory McIlroy Sends Personal Message on Aaron Rai’s Win at PGA Championship