Making it on the PGA Tour is a dream for every professional golfer, but surviving away from home presents a unique challenge. As Robert MacIntyre recently revealed, the switch from the DP World Tour to the American circuit was a major accomplishment, but he’s also found it lonely in the US at times.

Aaron Rai has been in the same position for quite some time since joining the PGA Tour, desperately trying to clinch his maiden victory. Although it has been a struggle, he has kept his head high. Reflecting on his journey from childhood to now, it is undoubtedly impressive.

How did Aaron Rai start playing golf?

Like many golfers, Aaron Rai’s relationship with golf started quite early. The Englishman was born on March 3rd, 1995, to his immigrant mother, Dalvir Shukla, and father, Amrik Singh, in Wolverhampton, England. Rai was the youngest of the family and had two older sisters and one brother. In this working-class family, his mother did several jobs, like being a mental health nurse and an aerobics instructor, while his father was a community worker and a tennis fan.

Being an F1 fan and wanting to be a driver, Rai accidentally stumbled upon the golf, courtesy of his mother. According to BBC Sport, the Englishman had hurt himself while playing with hockey sticks with his brother. His mother, Dalvir Shukla, brought some plastic clubs so that Rai may never get hurt while playing.

On the other hand, Rai used to accompany his father for tennis practice and sometimes swing the bat too. Then Mr Amrik Singh noticed that his son had more of a golf swing, and he suggested the 4-year-old Rai start playing golf. Thus, with plastic clubs in his hands, at the young age of 4, Rai started his golf journey.

He started raking records from a young age, including a world record for 207 consecutive 10-foot putts that he made in his backyard greens after being given Lee Westwood’s putting aid. Through it all, Rai’s parents took the initiative to mold his career and assist in every way.

Aaron Rai’s father’s role in his life

While the Englishman was studying at Wolverhampton Grammar School, his father was reading through golf books to learn more about swing. It can be said that Rai’s father had a huge part in shaping his love for golf, as he assisted him in every way. Singh, after learning more about golf, bought his son the Titleist 690 MBs when he was only 7.

The two started practicing with it regularly and Rai’s father would diligently clean its every groove and have Rai iron covers to protect the head, which he still uses to this day. Rai said in an interview with BBC Sports that Amrik “has always been there for support and guidance, but not in a pushy way.”

To aid Rai’s journey further, he started playing under coach Andy Proudman and Piers Ward, who have stayed on his team throughout the years. Another way Amrik Singh helped Rai was when he spread awareness about his son through local newspapers and asked for his golf funding. Surprisingly, many people came forward and one man gave him his gloves. Since then, Rai has become one of the few golfers who has two gloves on each hand for better grip.

Another person named Shabir Randeree became his sponsor and helped him go through private school and get junior memberships at clubs. After consulting with Shabir and his parents, Rai said that he had turned pro at the age of 17, even though he wasn’t ready. But they thought for better learning, Rai needed the break.

Aaron Rai’s journey to become a pro

So, Aaron Rai turned pro and started playing on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2012. After struggling for two consecutive years, the Englishman finally passed the tough stages and finished in the top 5 on the merit list to get his Challenge Tour membership in 2016. There, Rai was trying to hold his ground and make it to the DP World Tour.

Rai started winning in 2017 on the Challenge Tour. He first won the Kenya Open with his mother. This victory was precious for two reasons: first, it was his maiden win, and second, his mother had visited her home country after 47 years. Rai won two more times on the Challenge Tour and the third victory immediately made him a DP World Tour pro.

The next year, the European Tour started with the 2019 season in December 2018 with the Hong Kong Open, and Rai, in a fist to make an impact, won for the first time in a wire-to-wire fashion. However, his second DP World Tour win came two years later, when he defeated Tommy Fleetwood in the playoffs and won the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investment Scottish Open.

This victory shaped Rai’s career trajectory in ways he didn’t imagine. Through the Scottish Open win, the Englishman was eligible for two 2020 majors, the PGA Championship and The Open, including the WGC Championship. After playing well enough in these events, Rai accumulated 200 FedExCup points and was eligible to play on the Korn Ferry Tour.

He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and finished third on the order of merit list to receive a PGA Tour membership in 2022. Since then, the 29-year-old has made 89 starts on the Tour and looking for his breakthrough victory on the American greens. It can be assumed that the triumph might be closer than ever!