Briton Aaron Rai celebrates with the 2017 Kenya Open Golf Championship trophy at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi on March 26, 2017.
On May 18, Briton Aaron Rai attained his first major victory in the 108th edition of the US PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square Pennyslvania. But his success as a golfer can be traced back to the Kenya Open Golf Championship in 2017.
When Rai travelled to Nairobi for the 2017 Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championship at Muthaiga Golf Club, he did something that earned him more fans from Kenya. He picked Virginia Karemi Njeri, a Kenyan, as his caddie for the tournament.
Briton Aaron Rai, with his Kenyan caddie Virginia Karemi, on his way to victory at the 2017 Kenya Open Golf Championship at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi.
Many of the visiting professional golfers who compete in the Kenya Open Golf Championship often travel to Kenya with caddies from their countries of origin but Rai chose Njeri. Rai completed a 72-hole total of 17 under par 267 to win the tournament.
Njeri, who was one of two local caddies in the championship, was sponsored by Barclays Bank of Kenya (now Absa Bank Kenya) for further training at Absa Caddies Academy in South Africa.
Because of his faith in Njeri, Rai asked her to caddie for him in a number of competitions in Oman, Qatar, Spain, Italy, Portugal and in South Africa. Njeri then took maternity break and stayed at home for some time.
“It was most unfortunate that when I wanted to attend the tour, Covid-19 happened and threw my plans into disarray. All the same, I am very happy for the progress Rai has made in his professional career. I was overwhelmed to learn about his victory in the USA. I lack words to describe my joy, I am just happy for him and I wish him the very best,” said Njeri, whose sister Teresia Wanjiru is one of the top female caddies at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Newly crowned 2026 US PGA championship winner Briton Aaron Rai, poses with his former caddie, Kenya's Virginia Karemi Njeri, after winning the 2028 Oman Open in Oman in February 18, 2018.
Before becoming a caddie at Muthaiga Golf Club, Njeri was a domestic worker in the Middle East. She still works as a caddie at Muthaiga Golf Club and also trains new caddies at the club.
When Njeri took maternity leave, Rai, 31, teamed up with his current caddie, Jason Timms. The two have worked together for the last eight years.
On May 17, Rai attained his first major victory in the 108th edition of the US PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square Pennyslvania. The tournament was held from May 11 to 17, 2026, Jason attributed Rai’s triumph on the eagle at the ninth hole.
He shot a final round five under par 65, to finish with an overall aggregate of nine under par, to win by three shots, a victory that saw him claim a purse of Sh478.48 million (U$ 3.69 million), to become the first English-born player to win the US PGA Championship in over a century. His victory ended a 107- year trophy drought for his country since Jim Barnes’s victory in 1919.
Launching pad for careers
Besides the cash, Rai also earned a five- year exemption to all the other majors, and a life time exemption to the PGA.
Rai's journey in the European Challenge Tour, and later to the European Tour (now DP World Tour), underlines the status of the Kenya Open Golf Championship as a launching pad for careers.
In 2017, the tournament not only celebrated Rai, but also his mother Dalvir Shukla who returned to Kenya after 47 years to witness her son’s victory.
It was a memorable return for Ms Shukla, who in a brief interview, said: “This trip will remain in my memory for years to come, having watched Rai win the Barclays Kenya Open here at Muthaiga. If Rai was not coming to play here I would have probably taken years to visit Kenya.’’
Briton Aaron Rai celebrates with the 2017 Kenya Open Golf Championship trophy at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi on March 26, 2017.
The Kenya Open which was started in 1967 has produced many stars. Besides Rai, many European professionals and a number of South African players, including this year’s winner Casey Jarvis who won at Karen Country Club.
Jarvis followed his victory in the Kenya Open with success in the115th South Africa Open Golf Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club in the Cape Winelands.
The others are Spaniard Seve Bellesteros who won Kenya Open in 1978 and went on to win the British Open in 1979, 1984, and 1988 as well as the US Masters in 1980 and 1983. Ian Woosnam from Wales won the Kenya Open in 1986 and went on to win the US Masters in 1991.
American Trevor Immelman won the Kenya Open in 2000, and went on to win the US Masters in 2008.
Jarvis Casey from South Africa displays the Magical Kenya Open winner's trophy at the Karen Country Club on February 22, 2026.
In 2000, South Africa’s Trevor Immelman opened doors for his compatriots by becoming the first professional from Africa to win the Kenya Open title.
Since then, four more South African players have claimed the Kenya Open title. They include current champion Jarvis, Michiel Bothma who won in 2011 at Muthaiga, Justing Harding who won it in 2021 at Karen Country Club, and 2025 winner Jacques Kruyswijk who triumphed at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Before Rai’s recent success in US PGA Championship, he had won a total of six events, including three Challenge Tour tournaments and others in the European Tour (now DP World Tour).
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