Indian-origin golfer Aaron Rai becomes first Englishman to win PGA Championships

Aaron Rai with coach Darren Prosser. Image via Special Arrangement

Aaron’s father worked as a professor in Perton, Wolverhampton and mother Dalvir Shukla as a medical nurse. Evenings were spent watching his brother and cousins play cricket before his parents introduced plastic clubs to the then four-year-old. With two golf clubs near their residence, Amrik would take Aaron to the clubs as well as East Park before getting him enrolled at the 3 Hammer Golf Club. Chana recalled the time when her brother-in-law would talk about his son’s golf swing and would tell her that he would support the youngster in his dreams. “Our homes are near and I remember Aaron was four years old when Amrik paji and my sister got him his first pair of plastic clubs. I guess he still used to wear nappies when we used to take him to East Park (laughs). But when Aaron started playing golf at the golf clubs, Amrik paji would tell me, “Behen ji (sister), you look at Aaron’s golf swing!’. Later when one of the parents left the job to support Aaron’s game, we all understood. Yes, it was tough but then it was all for their son’s dream,” adds Chana.

Aaron, who first played in a major at the 2017 British Open, spoke about the challenges faced by his family and how it taught him to be humble. “My dad was with me, as I said, every day, practice wise, and he really instilled the importance of work and dedication and trying to consistently build just good, strong habits around the game. My mom worked extremely hard away from golf. She worked a couple of jobs at one time and she did a lot of work around the house. My sister took a massive role as well at a young age. She had a job from the age of 14, 15, so there was a lot of consistent messaging of hard work. I guess as I’ve got older, it’s something that I’ve really valued,” Aaron said while addressing reporters on Sunday.

In Wolverhampton, coach Darren Prosser, a former pro and one of Aaron’s first coaches, too was watching him win the PGA Championships. While Aaron now trains under Andy Proudman and Piers Ward, Prosser has seen him up close. “He was seven years old when he came to the 3 Hammer course. And we used to do some lessons and then play on the par-three course. His father Amrik had been his support since day one. Aaron had a textbook swing and he had a great way of getting the club on the ball. He had great hand-eye coordination and he could really work the ball. He hasn’t got many weaknesses in his golf game and he’s suited for a technical course like it was the last night at Aronimink,” said Prosser to The Indian Express.

Aaron also spoke about what the win means for England as well India and Kenya. “I am very proud to be from England. That’s where I grew up. That’s where a lot of my family still lives. I’m very proud of India and Kenya as well. My mom grew up there (Kenya), and my mom’s side of the family lived there for a number of years before they moved to England. And again, going back a couple of generations, both of my sets of grandparents from my mom and dad’s side, were from India. So again, I’m just very proud of representing all three,” Aaron said.

As for in Wolverhampton, coach Prosser is waiting for his ward to return and give a coaching clinic to the kids. “Post one of his title wins, he had attended a golf clinic and signed for the kids. Hopefully, we will soon have him at our club,” said Prosser. At the Guru ka Niwas Gurudwara in Wolverhampton, which the family attends, secretary Sukhjinder Singh is preparing a path for Aaron. “Sada sareya da puttar hai. Asi vi path karange. (Aaron is a son of us all too. We will recite hymns for him and his success),” said Singh.