Aaron Rai what's in the bag 2025
By: Derek Clements | Edited: Mon 10 Nov 2025
Share this article:
History repeated itself for England’s Aaron Rai as he defeated Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff to win the Abu Dhabi Championship - exactly as he did at the Scottish Open five years ago. It was Rai’s second Rolex title and means he qualifies for the field at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where he will surely start the week as one of the favourites.
On a thrilling final day in Abu Dhabi, Rory McIlroy produced a stunning round of 62 to finish the week on 24 under par. In the end he had given himself too much to do and came up one shot short to finish joint third with Nicolai Hojgaard.
But McIlroy did enough to extend his lead over Marco Penge in the Race to Dubai and will this week expect to lock up his title.
Rai said: "It’s hard to sum up how I feel. I tried to stay in the zone but it’s amazing to be stood here as a winner. Tommy is an amazing person and an amazing golfer. My caddie was great. After I missed a short putt on the 14th he told me to focus. It was nice to finish it off the way I did."
He started the day with a one-shot lead but soon found himself two shots back following a fast start from playing partner Fleetwood.
But a run of four successive birdies on the front nine returned him to the top before Fleetwood regained control on a rollercoaster final day. Rai produced late fireworks, though, with birdies at the 16th and 17th to sit level with Fleetwood at the top of the leaderboard heading down the last.
Although he missed a good chance to win in regulation play on the 18th green, he made no mistake with his birdie putt at the first extra hole to become a three-time DP World Tour winner.
Rai made a total of seven birdies - including four in a row from the fourth - and two bogeys in his closing 67 to reach 25 under par, while Fleetwood produced a bogey-free 66 that featured an eagle and four birdies.
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Who is Aaron Rai?
Aaron Rai was born in Wolverhampton on March 3, 1995. He turned professional in 2012. In 2014 and 2015 he played on the EuroPro Tour. He won the 2015 Glenfarclas Open after a playoff, finished fifth in the Order of Merit and was promoted to the Challenge Tour for 2016. He finished 18th in the 2016 Challenge Tour Order of Merit and just missed out on a DP World Tour place. His best finish was joint runner-up in the Le Vaudreuil Challenge.
However, 2017 was a successful season for Rai, with three wins. In March he won the Kenyan Open by three strokes. His Kenyan-born mother embraced him on the final green, seconds after his final stroke. He had his second win in May at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Matchplay. His third success came in July in the Le Vaudreuil Challenge, where he triumphed by five. That victory gave him an immediate entry to the DP World Tour. In May, at Walton Heath, he led international section qualifying for the US Open but failed to make the cut in his first major.
In his first season on the DP World Tour he had four top-10 finishes and ended the 2018 season 58th in the Order of Merit. Rai won the 2018 Hong Kong Open, the first event of the 2019 season.
In September 2020, he held the 54-hole lead at the Irish Open but lost out to John Catlin. A week later, he beat Tommy Fleetwood in playoff to win the Scottish Open.
In August 2021, Rai entered the Boise Open as part of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals to try to gain a PGA Tour card for the 2021-22 season. He held a one-shot lead on the final hole but a closing double-bogey saw him drop to a tie for second-place, one shot behind Greyson Sigg. The result was still good enough for Rai to secure his card for the following season.
He finished 93rd in the FedEx Cup standings in 2022 which secured his playing rights for the following year.
A successful 2024 season saw Rai claim his maiden victory on the PGA Tour at the Wyndham Championship. He also enjoyed five other top-10 finishes as well as making 14 cuts in a row. He also qualified for the Tour Championship and was the only golfer in the 30 man field to do so without playing a single signature event. He has enjoyed another consistent year in 2025 but the win in Abu Dhabi was his first of the season.
Aaron Rai's key stats
Driving Distance - 284.47 Yards
Driving Accuracy - 66.80%
Greens in Regulation - 72.84%
Sand Saves - 46.67%
Putts Per Round - 30.28
Scoring Average - 70.37
Aaron Rai's recent results
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship - 1st
BMW PGA Championship - T3rd
Omega European Masters - CUT
Betfred British Masters - T33rd
FedEx St Jude Championship - T22nd
Wyndham Championship - T5th
The 153rd Open - T34th
Genesis Scottish Open T47th
Travelers Championship - T17th
US Open - T33rd
What's in Aaron Rai's golf bag?
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 Degrees)
3-Wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 Degrees)
5-Wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 Degrees)
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (24 Degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW (5-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (49 Degrees, 55 Degrees, 60 Degrees)
Putter: TaylorMade HydroBlast TP DuPage
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
About the author
Derek Clements is a seasoned sports journalist and regular Golfshake contributor, specialising in tour coverage, opinion pieces, and feature writing. With a long career in national newspapers and golf media, he has reported on the game across Europe, the United States and Australia. A passionate golfer, he has played and reviewed numerous renowned courses, with personal favourites including Pebble Beach, Kingsbarns, Aldeburgh, Old Thorns and the K Club. His love of the game informs his thoughtful commentary on both professional golf and the wider golfing community.
Be part of the action with a selection of unique golf tournament experiences, from playing in a pro-am with the stars to watching the action at golf’s most illustrious events. Whether it’s the Masters or The Open, The Ryder Cup or WM Phoenix Open, build your own bespoke package with the experts at Golfbreaks.com.
