The Open: Aaron Rai reveals details of classy gesture from Jack Nicklaus after winning US PGA

Aaron Rai has revealed Jack Nicklaus sent him a handwritten letter congratulating the Englishman on winning his first major at the PGA Championship.

Rai scooped the biggest title of his career to date in May at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania. 

His three-shot triumph over Jon Rahm finally brought an end to England's century-long wait for a winner of the Wanamaker Trophy.

Last week, a story went viral about Rai leaving a note inside the locker of DP World Tour pro Pablo Larrazabal ahead of the BMW International Open in Germany. 

Larrazabal, a nine-time DPWT winner, entered the event having missed nine cuts in a row. 

Rai left a handwritten note in his locker underneath a picture of Larrazabal clutching a trophy from a previous victory. 

It read:

"Pablo, the guy in these pictures is who you are and he is much closer to the present you than you think. Keep fighting, keep working hard and most importantly keep believing – in each tournament, each round and each shot.

Best wishes,
Aaron Rai"

Rai told reporters ahead of The Open that it "felt like the right thing to do". 

Perhaps the inspiration came from the fact he was the recipient of a note from the Golden Bear. 

"For someone like that to take the time to write to me after the PGA, it definitely shows the class of what Jack is about," Rai said.

Rai described the feeling of opening the letter as a "surreal". 

The 31-year-old added that he decided against having the Wanamaker Trophy in his house.

"It's in my dad's house," he said, adding that he doesn't want a trophy room. 

"It felt like it was fitting, and it was the right place for it to be at my dad's house, at the family house really."

There's no doubt that soon the letter will be displayed alongside the trophy.