Aaron Rai, the newly crowned US PGA Championship winner, was remembered by his former form tutor as an utterly determined youngster who would be picked up from school by his father to head straight to golf practice.
Early Years at Wolverhampton Grammar School
Kathy Dyer, who was the golfer’s first form tutor when he started at Wolverhampton Grammar School in 2006, said the then-11-year-old was “very much the same as what he is today – very quiet, very humble, very polite, just a true gentleman.”
Rai, 31, became the first English winner of the US PGA in more than a century on Sunday, finishing three shots clear of the field to land $3.69 million (£2.76 million) in prize money.
Balancing Education and Golf
Mrs Dyer, the head of girls’ games at the school, recalled: “I remember that his dad would pick him up from the sports hall, probably at break time, two or three times a week. And he would take him off to play golf for the rest of the day.”
As Rai approached the age of 16, he faced a critical decision: pursue a career as a golf professional or continue his education. He chose both. “He would come in every Tuesday afternoon and he was tutored at A-level maths by our deputy head at the time, Peter Hills, in his own time,” Mrs Dyer added.
Later, Rai invited Mr Hills and his son Michael to play golf with him at a local course as a gesture of thanks for the extra tuition.
School Pride and World Record
Mrs Dyer noted that many staff members follow golf closely. “Aaron’s name is mentioned a lot in the staff common room. Obviously this morning it was huge. We’re very proud that he came to this school.”
She also recalled how the budding golf star set a world record at age 15 with 207 consecutive 10-foot putts. “I remember that was a huge thing at the time. Our head at the time who was a big golf fan made a huge thing about it in assembly but Aaron was still very humble, very quiet, and very, very polite.”
Headteacher’s Memories
The school’s head, Nic Anderson, remembers interviewing Rai for a place at the school in 2006. “We’re incredibly proud,” he said. “He played golf all the time. His dad was very much his first and only supporter in the early days. And then, as he rose through the ranks I know he had a number of coaches who influenced him. But I’d hope as a school, we were very supportive at the time for him to achieve what he has achieved.”
Mr Anderson added that the school has not made a big announcement because of the exam season, but plans to celebrate Rai’s achievement in a future assembly.
National Recognition
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Rai on his achievement, posting on X: “History maker. Congratulations Aaron Rai on your extraordinary win at the @PGAChampionship, the first English golfer to win for 107 years.”
