Jon Rahm Holds Off Tyrrell Hatton And Rory McIlroy To Win Abu Dhabi Championship

Jon Rahm held off a host of fellow big names to win the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship for the first time in his career.

The former LIV Golfer began the final round at Yas Links at 18-under par to lead by one shot over Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta, while firmly in contention were others, including Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott.

McIlroy, who was hoping for a victory to regain the lead in the Race to Dubai standings, made his intentions clear immediately with an outrageous 386-yard drive to find the green and set up his first birdie of the day.

That put McIlroy within one of Rahm, but the Spaniard followed suit with a birdie at the first shortly afterwards to send out his own warning shot to his rivals.

Not that it seemed to bother McIlroy, whose rapid start continued with an eagle at the second, where a beautifully judged long putt saw him join Rahm at the top of the leaderboard.

Laporta, meanwhile, also started well, with birdies at the first and the third, the latter of which saw him co-lead with McIlroy. At the same hole, Rahm slipped up with a bogey to move back to third.

Rahm responded emphatically, with back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth to regain the outright lead at 20-under.

By that stage, McIlroy had fallen back with two bogeys, but a birdie at the seventh steadied the ship to get him back within two.

Rahm, McIlroy and Laporta weren’t the only ones eyeing victory, with one of the chasing pack, Bernd Wiesberger – who is in contention for a PGA Tour card – moving three off the lead, thanks to back-to-back birdies to begin the back nine.

McIlroy also remained in the hunt with birdies at the same holes, while David Puig and Hatton were also in the mix as the outcome remained far from certain.

One of the day's early contenders who couldn’t stay in touch was Scott, with two birdies wiped out by two bogeys as he made the turn. He eventually carded a one-over 73 to finish on 14-under.

At the top, Rahm strengthened his grip on the lead with back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th.

When McIlroy bogeyed the 15th, he fell three shots behind Rahm, and the gap between them widened to four when the leader birdied the same hole soon after, helped by a brilliant approach that got him within two feet.

At that stage, Rahm’s former Legion XIII LIV Golf teammate Hatton appeared the likeliest to catch him, helped by four birdies in a blemish-free first 15 holes.

That took him to within two of the leader on 21 under, but the flourish he needed to put pressure on Rahm didn’t materialize.

Rahm closed with three consecutive pars to complete a five-under 67 and seal a two-shot victory over Hatton, with McIlroy third on 19-under and Laporta fourth.

It is Rahm's sixth Rolex Series victory and 11th on the DP World Tour overall.

It is also his first non-LIV Golf win since claiming the Green Jacket at The Masters in 2023.

The win also marked a remarkable turnaround for Rahm after finishing bottom of the leaderboard in his last start, the BMW PGA Championship.

Following his win, he said: "It means a lot. Still almost not letting myself believe it, you know. It's been quite a while since I've played good in a DP World Tour event, and I think if we don't count the withdrawals, I think I finished last. So from last to first, pretty good feeling."

As for the Race to Dubai standings, Eugenio Chacarra remains at the top with just next week’s DP World Tour Championship to come.

McIlroy, who is looking to join Colin Montgomerie on eight Race to Dubai titles, is second.

Rahm is now sixth and in with an outside chance of claiming the Harry Vardon Trophy. With all to play for at Jumeirah Golf Estates, he is excited about the challenge.

He said: "I didn't think I would ever have a chance to win it. Very excited. Actually gives me a little extra incentive next week. I really didn't think I was going to have a chance."