Aaron Rai's Humbling Reason for Still Using Iron Covers
When the dust finally settled on the 2026 PGA Championship from Aronimink Golf Club, the winner ended up being Aaron Rai, who entered the tournament as a total longshot.
While most golf fans figured the champ would be a bonafide superstar like Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, or Rory McIlroy, it was the 31-year-old Rai who hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy, capping a superb four days of golf that saw him grind out one of the most unbelievable victories in recent major tournament history.
Rai has had good moments during his pro career - like a victory at the 2024 Wyndham Championship, as well as 15 career T10s finishes - but his win at the PGA Championship clearly squashes any of those accomplishments.
And one of the coolest things that comes from Rai earning his first major victory is this: People get to know him a bit more, understanding his commitment to the game and his journey to reach this very moment.
Why Aaron Rai Uses Iron Covers
For those watching the PGA Championship broadcast, there was something noticeable when the cameras were on Aaron Rai: He wears two black gloves (rather than just the standard one), and he has iron covers - which tends to be faux pas for any level of golfer, let alone a major champion.
But Rai has a very cool (and humbling!) reason for sporting iron covers, which he addressed during his post-tourney press conference.
"When I was about seven or eight years old, [my dad] bought me a set of Titleist 690 MBs, and they were like 800-1,000 pounds back then, just for a set of clubs for a kid," Raid said. "I cherished them. When we used to go out and practice, he used to clean every single groove afterward with a pin and with baby oil."
Understanding just how much his golf clubs were worth, Rai never took it for granted - especially after seeing his dad do everything he could to protect the grooves from getting worn.
So, in addition to the baby oil, Aaron Rai said his dad suggested putting iron covers on the clubs to better protect them - which eventually stuck, and serves as a reminder of his humble beginnings in this sport.
"To protect the golf clubs, he thought it would be good to put iron covers on it," he added. "I've pretty much had iron covers on all of my sets ever since just to appreciate the value of what I have, and it all started with that first set."
Despite earning more than $15 million in his career - along with $1.2 million for winning the 2026 PGA Championship - as well as getting new equipment for free as a pro golfer, Rai continues to maintain his humble past.
"Although on the PGA Tour, we get given equipment, and we get given everything that we need, it's more out of principle," Rai admitted. "The value of not losing perspective of what I have and where I am."
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 12:46 PM.