It felt appropriate that an outsider who thrives on unconventional habits emerged victorious at a bruising US PGA Championship played in the heart of Rocky Balboa country. As Aaron Rai stood in the Aronimink clubhouse, about to be celebrated as a first-time major champion, the strains of Eye of the Tiger — the anthem forever linked to Rocky III — seemed to provide the soundtrack to a memorable night in Philadelphia.
Rai does not train like a cinematic boxer, but he has his own recognizable quirks. Most visibly, he wears two gloves on the course, a habit he picked up as a child and never broke. After discovering he lacked the same feel with only one glove, he stuck with the pair for the improved grip and comfort they give him. He also uses iron covers and castle tees, small idiosyncrasies that have become part of his identity.
Those details are only one layer of a career that began in a slightly unlikely way. As a toddler, playing with his older brother's hockey sticks led to a painful bruise and prompted his mother to go shopping for safer toys. She returned with plastic golf clubs instead of plastic hockey sticks, and a pastime was born that would eventually define his life.
Ra
