Aaron Rai Clinches the Abu Dhabi Title in Dramatic Playoff Battle Against Tommy Fleetwood
The 30-year-old golfer displayed remarkable nerve to claim the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday, defeating Tommy Fleetwood in a dramatic play-off following a rollercoaster final round of play.
The Englishman nailed a crucial birdie putt from just over eight feet to seal the win, repeating his sole prior Rolex Series success at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was likewise a playoff win against Fleetwood.
Final Round Drama
The champion entered the final round with a single stroke advantage over fellow Englishman Fleetwood and Danish golfer Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a total score of twenty-under after a up-and-down, 67 closing round that included seven birdies and two bogeys.
The challenger moved a stroke clear with the 16th and 17th remaining after a birdie on the sixteenth, but Rai pulled level again on the 17th and then missed a ten-foot birdie putt to win outright on the final green.
Playoff Decider
That led to a play-off at Yas Links where the eventual winner prevailed to claim the championship and $1.5m (£1.13m) in winnings.
{“Tommy is a world-class player and an even more individual. To compete alongside him the last two days was really special,” said the winner, the present world No 30. “You’re so focused on playing the round and staying in the zone, it’s hard to describe at the present how it feels. It is incredible to be stood here.”
Other Performances
The Northern Irish star left himself a bit too far to do, coming up a stroke behind in a shared third place with Højgaard, after a stunning 10-under final round of ten-under. It was his best-ever score on the DP World Tour, including eight birdies and one eagle.
The Danish golfer fired six birdies of his own, but his hopes of topping the leaderboard were hit by a dropped shot on the 12th. England’s Mansell hit an superb last round 63 to finish tied for fifth with Australia’s Daniel Hillier.
