The nice guy who finished first: why all of golf was glad to see Aaron Rai lift US PGA Championship
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EN: In news headlines, the present tense (e.g., 'Takes') is often used to describe a past event to make the news feel more immediate and exciting.
The team wins the final game.
EN: The US PGA Championship is one of the four 'majors' in professional golf, representing one of the highest achievements in the sport.
EN: The past tense of 'win' is 'won'. We use it to talk about actions that were completed in the past.
She won the race yesterday.
EN: The US PGA Championship is one of the four 'majors' in men's professional golf, making it one of the most prestigious titles a golfer can win.
EN: The phrase 'one of the' is followed by a superlative adjective (like 'biggest') and a plural noun. It is used to pick one item out of a top group.
He is one of the best players in the world.
EN: The US PGA Championship is one of the four 'majors' in men's professional golf, representing the highest level of achievement in the sport.
EN: Use 'be from' to talk about someone's hometown or country of origin.
I am from Taiwan.
EN: Wolverhampton is a historic city in the West Midlands of England, known for its industrial heritage and football club.
EN: The phrase 'ahead of' is used to describe being in front of someone or something in space, time, or a competition.
She finished the race ahead of all the other runners.
EN: In golf, a 'shot' refers to hitting the ball once. Finishing 'three shots ahead' is a significant lead in professional golf, showing a strong performance.
EN: The phrase 'be happy for someone' is used to express that you feel joy because of someone else's success or good luck.
I am so happy for you and your new job!
EN: In sports culture, it is common for competitors to express genuine happiness for a winner who is known for their good character, reflecting the value of 'sportsmanship'.
EN: The phrase 'be known as' is used to describe someone's reputation or identity. It is followed by a noun that tells us who or what the person is famous for being.
She is known as a great teacher.
EN: In the professional golf world, character is highly valued alongside skill. Being described as 'kind and respectful' by peers like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm is a significant honor, reflecting the sport's traditional emphasis on sportsmanship and etiquette.
EN: Appositives are used to provide more information about a noun. Here, 'another famous golfer' explains who Rory McIlroy is.
Mr. Smith, my English teacher, is very kind.
EN: Rory McIlroy is one of the most successful and recognizable figures in modern golf. His public praise for Aaron Rai highlights the sportsmanship and mutual respect common in professional golf.
EN: The word 'that' is often omitted after reporting verbs like 'said' when reporting what someone else said in a simple way.
She said she was tired.
EN: In professional golf, players often show great sportsmanship by publicly praising their competitors, reflecting the 'gentleman's game' tradition.
EN: The word 'also' is used to add information that is similar to what was mentioned before. It usually comes after the subject and before the main verb.
She also likes to play golf.
EN: In the world of professional sports, it is common for top athletes to show sportsmanship by publicly praising their competitors' character, especially after a major victory.
EN: The pattern 'one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun' is used to talk about a person or thing that is part of a top group.
She is one of the best students in the class.
EN: In the professional golf world, players often speak highly of each other's character to show sportsmanship and mutual respect.
EN: The verb 'call' can be used with an object followed by a noun phrase to describe or label someone. The pattern is: call + someone + (a/an) noun.
My friends call me a hero.
EN: In professional golf, sportsmanship and personal character are highly valued. It is common for top players to publicly praise each other's personality, not just their skills.
EN: The phrase 'help someone a lot' is used to describe giving a large amount of assistance. The word 'a lot' acts as an adverb to show the degree of help.
My teacher helped me a lot with my homework.
EN: The phrase 'road to success' is a common English idiom. It compares the process of achieving a goal to a long journey or a path that one must travel.
EN: The phrase 'to + verb' (infinitive) is used to express purpose or the reason why someone does an action.
He went to the store to buy some milk.
EN: In professional sports, it is common for family members to make significant sacrifices, such as quitting jobs, to support a talented child's training and travel expenses before they become successful.
EN: The phrase 'be proud of' is used to show that someone feels deep satisfaction or pleasure in their achievements, qualities, or possessions.
She is proud of her new job.
EN: The sentence highlights Rai's diverse heritage (Indian and Kenyan roots), which is a point of pride for many athletes in multicultural societies like the UK.
EN: Use 'and' to connect two related ideas or sentences. It helps make your speech flow more smoothly.
He likes golf, and his brother likes tennis.
EN: The term 'roots' is commonly used in English to describe a person's family heritage or where their ancestors came from. 'Indian-Kenyan' refers to people of Indian descent who lived in Kenya, a common historical migration pattern within the British Empire.
EN: The past tense of the verb 'move' is 'moved'. We use it to talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, often with a specific time like 'in 2024'.
They moved to England last year.
EN: Many professional golfers move to Florida because of the warm weather, which allows them to practice golf all year round. It is also home to many famous golf courses and the PGA Tour headquarters.
EN: The phrase 'be proud of' is used to express a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction in someone or something.
She is proud of her daughter's grades.
EN: Wolverhampton is a city in the West Midlands of England. For many athletes, maintaining a strong connection to their roots is a sign of humility and character, which is why the text emphasizes Rai's pride in his home city despite moving to Florida.
EN: The verb 'make' can be used with an object followed by an adjective (make + someone + adjective) to describe how someone or something causes a change in state or feeling.
The good news made her happy.
EN: In the world of professional sports, while winning is the primary goal, a player's reputation and character (being 'nice' or 'respectful') are highly valued by peers and fans, often leading to more endorsement opportunities and long-term respect in the industry.
EN: The word 'that' is used here to introduce a clause that explains what is being shown. It connects the main idea (the win shows something) to the specific detail (nice people can finish first).
He says that the weather is beautiful.
EN: The phrase 'nice guys finish last' is a common English idiom suggesting that being kind makes it harder to succeed. This sentence plays on that idiom to say the opposite: that being a good person like Rai can actually lead to success.
EN: The word 'will' is used to talk about the future. It is followed by the base form of a verb (like 'remember') to show that an action will happen later.
I will call you tomorrow.
EN: In sports like golf, major championships are highly respected. Winning a tournament like the US PGA Championship is considered a life-changing achievement that fans celebrate globally.
EN: The structure 'It was a [adjective] day for [someone]' is used to describe how an event or period of time affected a specific person or group.
It was a busy day for the students.
EN: In sports journalism, a 'great day' for a sport often refers to a moment that highlights the integrity, sportsmanship, or positive values of the game, beyond just the score.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
In front of someone or something in a race or competition.
The process or journey of achieving a goal or becoming successful.
To win a race or competition.
One of the four major championships in professional golf.