Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood missed out on the £1.1 million top prize at the Abu Dhabi Championship as Aaron Rai emerged victorious in a thrilling play-off. The event marked the conclusion of the first of two DP World Tour Play-off contests, signaling the climax of the Race to Dubai.
Yas Links witnessed the competitive performances of two European Ryder Cup stars, with Fleetwood narrowly losing in the play-off and McIlroy securing a shared third place. The Abu Dhabi Championship, categorized as a Play-off tournament, featured an increased prize pool amounting to nearly £7 million.
Fleetwood received a prize of over £750,000, while McIlroy split £752,000 with Nicolai Højgaard for the combined third and fourth positions. Despite starting the final round six shots behind the leader Rai, McIlroy’s impressive round of 62 propelled him back into contention, though he fell short of victory.
Following McIlroy’s total of 24 under, Fleetwood and Rai both delivered crucial putts on the 17th hole to finish tied at 25 under. After Fleetwood managed only a par, Rai had a chance to seal the win but narrowly missed a birdie putt, leading to a play-off.
In the play-off, both players had birdie putts, with Rai ultimately securing the victory by sinking his putt from a closer range after Fleetwood missed his attempt. Rai expressed his elation at the win, emphasizing his focus during the round and the honor of competing with Fleetwood.
Reflecting on a challenging moment at the 14th hole, Rai credited his caddie for providing crucial support and guidance to regain his composure and finish strongly over the last few holes. The Race to Dubai will conclude with the DP World Tour Championship, commencing on November 13.
