Aaron Rai Secures Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in Dramatic Playoff Battle Versus Fellow Englishman Fleetwood
Aaron Rai displayed remarkable composure to secure the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the final day, defeating his compatriot in a tense playoff following a rollercoaster last day of competition.
Rai nailed a crucial birdie from around eight feet to seal the win, repeating his sole prior tournament triumph at the 2020 Scottish Open, which was likewise a playoff victory against the same opponent.
Sunday's Play Drama
Rai started the last day with a single stroke advantage over fellow Englishman Fleetwood and Denmark’s Højgaard. He ended up with a total score of 263 after a up-and-down, 67 final round that included seven birdie putts and a pair of bogeys.
Fleetwood moved one shot ahead with two holes to play after a birdie on the 16th, but Rai pulled level again on the seventeenth and then failed to convert a 10-foot birdie attempt to win outright on the final hole.
Playoff Climax
This set up a play-off at the Yas Links course where the eventual winner triumphed to take the championship and $1.5m (£1.13m) in winnings.
{“Tommy is a phenomenal golfer and an even better individual. To compete alongside him the final two rounds was truly memorable,” stated the winner, the present world No 30. “You’re so focused on your game and maintaining focus, it’s difficult to describe at the present how it is. It is incredible to be stood here.”
Notable Contenders
The Northern Irish star left himself just too much to do, finishing one shot short in a shared third place with Højgaard, after a spectacular 10-under closing round of 62. It was McIlroy’s best-ever round on the DP World Tour, including eight birdies and one eagle.
The Danish golfer fired six birdies of his own, but his chances of leading the leaderboard were dented by a dropped shot on the twelfth. English golfer Richard Mansell hit an superb last round seven-under to finish tied for fifth with Australia’s Hillier.
