Aaron Rai, now a two-time Rolex Series winner after his play-off triumph over Tommy Fleetwood at the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, began his golfing journey back in 2017 on the HotelPlanner Tour.
The Englishman, now ranked 23rd in the Official World Golf Rankings, is the latest alumni to succeed at the top of the game alongside the likes of Justin Rose, Alex Noren, Robert MacIntyre, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Fleetwood.
Having just missed out on promotion to the DP World Tour in his first full HotelPlanner Tour season in 2016, Rai tasted victory in his first start of 2017 at the Barclays Kenya Open, where he finished three shots clear of Frenchman Adrian Saddier on 17 under par. The Englishman’s breakthrough win in Nairobi was made even more special with his Kenyan-born mother present on the 18th green to witness his triumph at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Just two events later at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9, Rai secured a second HotelPlanner Tour title after beating Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan 2&1 in the final, a result which saw Rai hit the top of the season-long Rankings. The Englishman would then cruise to victory at the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge two months later to secure automatic promotion to the DP World Tour. After opting to immediately take up playing privileges on Golf’s Global Tour, Rai would eventually end the year sixth on the Rankings, with Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen topping the standings.
Rai’s first full season on the DP World Tour saw him keep his card before he sealed a breakthrough victory in the first event of the 2019 season at the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi, where he finished one stroke clear of fellow alumni Fitzpatrick in Fanling. The following year saw the 30-year-old earn his most significant win to date at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open - Rai’s first Rolex Series triumph. After ending 72 holes tied on 11 under par with Fleetwood, Rai held his nerve in extra holes to beat his compatriot with a par on the 18th at The Renaissance Club.
The Englishman’s maiden PGA TOUR win came at the 2024 Wyndham Championship two years after he earned playing privileges in the United States. Now, Rai’s triumph in Abu Dhabi has seen him jump inside the top ten on the 2025 Race to Dubai ahead of this week’s DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, alongside fellow alumni Fleetwood, MacIntyre, Noren, Saddier, Hatton, Kristoffer Reitan, Marco Penge and John Parry.
