Aaron Rai Wins Abu Dhabi Championship in Playoff
Aaron Rai defeated Tommy Fleetwood on the first playoff hole to claim the Abu Dhabi Championship title on Sunday. Rai showed great composure returning from a brief break spent marrying Indian professional golfer Gaurika Bishnoi.
The victory was sealed at Yas Links after Rai sank a 12-foot birdie putt, while Fleetwood missed his longer-range attempt. Both competitors finished regulation play at 25 under par, with Rai shooting a final-round 67 and Fleetwood a 66.
Career Milestone for Aaron Rai
This win marks Rai’s third DP World Tour title and his first since 2020. His most recent victory before this came 14 months ago on the PGA Tour at the Wyndham Championship.
“I didn’t really have too many expectations coming into it. I actually came here two weeks ago to do a bit of practice, which helped massively. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so to be sat here now is hard to put into words.”
Impact on Rankings and Season Standings
The victory will likely boost Rai to world No. 23 and seventh place in the Race to Dubai standings, ahead of the season-ending event next week.
Other Notable Performances
- World No. 2 Rory McIlroy climbed the leaderboard with a bogey-free 10-under 62, finishing tied for third.
- Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard also tied for third, closing with a 67.
- Daniel Hillier from New Zealand (67) and England’s Richard Mansell (63) tied for fifth at 22 under par.
It was McIlroy’s 10th top-three finish in a tournament he has never won.
Author's summary: Aaron Rai clinched his third DP World Tour title with a playoff win at the Abu Dhabi Championship, boosting his ranking and ending a multi-year title drought.