How did Aaron Rai win the PGA? You have to hear when … we are being hunted by ghosts?

Suddenly, he would not hear an unfamiliar question. Because of the title and the fact that it was asked two days before the PGA Championship, it suggested that the question was not coming from the press room, but straight out of the bar.

But I asked anyway.

Do you believe in ghosts?

He was silent for a while.

He laughed.

He answered.

“Yes,” said Aaron Rai.

Really?

“Yes.”

More questions followed, of course. A proposal, again, from Rai – who, three years and two days later on Tuesday afternoon at Oak Hill Country Club, was not only playing another PGA Championship, but winning its Wanamaker. There was Rai, somehow bringing the Aronimik Golf Club to its knees, after spending a week beating everyone over the head. After a bogey on 8, he hit an eagle 9 with a 40-footer, birdied 11, birdied 13, birdied 16 and, with great fanfare, birdied 17 with a 68-foot bomb, all the while looking as good as I’d seen when I tried to admire the ghost and the Englishman.

Some background here. At Oak Hill, a few Oak Hillians believed that the water on the 7th hole was visited by Bill Cody, “Buffalo”, who unfortunately, died before a round of golf was played on the Rochester, NY course. One of the most prominent players of the late 1800s/early 1900s – and why the NFL’s Buffalo Bills are called the “Buffalo Bills” – Cody lived in the area and enjoyed its outdoor activities, and, some feel, still does. I made phone calls. In two Buffalo Bill museums. (As I said, he was famous.) To Fred Beltz, Oak Hill’s club historian who kindly shared the story. To Susan Fiandach, a lifelong Rochesterian and, most importantly for this project, the psychic who guided me on how to talk about, yes, ghosts, because if this were true, one would have to discuss this idea. On Tuesday of tournament week, the 7th, I asked my question to a few players. Most weren’t interested, because, you know, they were golfers, not ghostbusters. One expert was horrified.

Then, around 6 o’clock or so, Rai arrived, someone from that week that I had never talked to before, but I knew I was good at conversations. At least he told me to pretend to be a ghost and disappear. However, he explained that he was a firm believer in an afterlife, and, as I told him what I had learned, he joked that he regretted being outside as the surrounding area darkened. He double-checked that what was actually happening wasn’t stupid, so, yeah, he’s not faking it either.

We reached the water, I did as Fiandach taught me.

Buffalo Bill, I want to see you. I want to talk to you. Please come.

Nothing.

I was ready to thank Rai for his time.

Then he tried.

Buffalo Bill, we would really like to see you. If you are here, then, yes, let us know.

Nothing.

I extended my hand to Rai. I tried to thank him again. But he had an idea.

Let’s try it together this time.

We do so.

Three-two-one.

Buffalo Bill, we would really like to see you. Please come.

Nothing.

But yes, there was something. The story and video are still on the world wide web. (Actually it was published three years ago to the day of his win.) That week, Brooks Koepka won, and Rai, unfortunately, did not play. After a few weeks, we talked about different ways. Did someone give him a dung for it? He said he heard a few comments. From then on, I will send him a message.

On Sunday, I looked at him.

And you saw what I already saw.

The moment he won the PGA Championship, the dude didn’t look like he’d seen a ghost.

It doesn’t move.

Why not bother? he can happened whenever Aronimink played for the PGA Championship title.

What didn’t bother him was what ultimately didn’t happen at Oak Hill while he was waiting to win the PGA Championship.

“I’m very happy for him,” Xander Schauffele said. “You’re a good kid, you rarely feel like people are working harder than you.

“I feel like I’ve played a really good time, and Aaron’s always there. He’s always in the gym. He’s always in the area. He’s always – you know, in Scottish, I live right there on site. I thought it was great [caddie Austin Kaiser] and I will go. Aaron finishes his mini session at 9pm and goes to the gym at 9:45. This happened three years ago. I think that’s what a great champion is going to be. You put in the work when no one is looking. Super pumped him and his team. “

Late Sunday, I wrote to Beltz, the Oak Hill historian, who was watching. He replied: “How wonderful that Aaron Rai is a part of the Wild Bill tour!” I wrote to Fiandech, the sorcerer, and asked him if he foresaw whether he would succeed.

“Lol it’s possible.”

But then things got really weird. As part of this, I rewatched the video.

Finally, I told him that we would talk again on Sunday when suggests Wanamaker.

Maybe I saw something that day.

Editor’s note: To read the original story on Buffalo Bill and Oak Hill – featuring Rai – click here. To view the entire video, scroll below.