England’s Aaron Rai believes its too early to think about a possible Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe next year at Bethpage Black, despite reaching new career highs after his PGA Tour breakthrough win.
Rai came through a marathon final day at the Wyndham Championship earlier this month to claim a two-shot victory and maiden PGA Tour title, lifting him inside the top-25 in the FedExCup standings and to 22nd in the latest world rankings.
The 29-year-old’s win was his first worldwide success since the 2020 Scottish Open and continued an impressive summer on the PGA Tour, where he had posted top-seven finishes in three of his previous four starts – including a share of second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Rai features in at least the first two FedExCup Playoffs and is in a good position to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship, all live on Sky Sports, while his best PGA Tour season yet has raised the possibility of him featuring in Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team next September.
“The Ryder Cup would be something amazing to be a part of, but it’s also such a long way away from now,” Rai told reporters ahead of the FedEx St Jude Championship. “Still over a year away from that. A lot of it is down to how well you’re playing in the run up to the Ryder Cup.
Aaron Rai has six top-10s on the PGA Tour this season
“I think continuing to improve and seeing progression in the game and that manifesting itself in the form of results is incredibly positive and very satisfying.
“If I continue to do that, then I give myself chances for other things to fall into place in the future. Obviously that would be amazing to be a part of that in the future. Whether that’s next year or beyond that, but it’s still such a long way away right now.”
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We head to the Audi Performance Zone to analyse the role of the pelvis in Aaron Rai’s swing
On the support Donald has offered him, Rai added: “[Luke] sent me a message on on Monday morning, which was very kind of him. He’s been very good to me as well over the last year, 18 months or so, I’ve spent a little bit of time with him.
“He’s always been very giving with his advice. He’s he’s been very, very gracious to me.”
Rai was outside the world’s top 100 just over a year ago but is now on the cusp of the world’s top 20 and still in the running to win the FedExCup, with the two-time DP World Tour only having a limited time to take stock on his rapid rise in men’s game.
Aaron Rai needs to be in the top 30 in the FedExCup standings after the BMW Championship to qualify for the Tour Championship
“It’s so busy schedule wise that it’s very tricky to make that time to really sit down and reflect on the whole journey,” Rai explained. “But there are little pockets of time. Little moments like being in the score recording after finishing on the Sunday where I felt very, very emotional.
“Just thinking about my parents and how big of an achievement it is to win, to win on the PGA Tour. I know it’s incredible to come from Wolverhampton and from pretty humble beginnings to even be competing here. So I’m very fortunate and grateful for that.”
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He follows Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia as players of Indian ancestry to impress on the PGA Tour this season, with Rai proud of his achievements and hoping the trio can make a positive impact.
“Being of British Asian heritage, it [golf] is not as common of a game to play from that background,” Rai admitted. “I think it’s amazing having Sahith Theegala on the PGA Tour and Akshay Bhatia as well. Players of Indian Heritage playing well and pretty young as well – I think that’s incredibly inspiring.
“I think the thing that probably all three of us can do is just obviously continue to play good golf, but try and conduct ourselves in in the best way that we can and then.
“Whatever effects that has, those are not in our control, but hopefully we just do a good job at using these positions in in a positive way and to set good examples.”
Watch Aaron Rai in action throughout the FedExCup Playoffs live on Sky Sports Golf. Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.