Aaron Rai edges out Tommy Fleetwood in play-off for victory in Abu Dhabi
Aaron Rai kept his composure to capture the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title, narrowly defeating Tommy Fleetwood on the first play-off hole. The 30-year-old sealed victory with an eight-foot birdie putt, repeating his previous Rolex Series success from the 2020 Scottish Open, where he also bested Fleetwood in a play-off.
Rai began the final round holding a one-shot lead over Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard, finishing with a total score of 263 after a dynamic, five-under final round. That round included seven birdies and two bogeys. He narrowly missed a 10-foot putt on the final hole that could have secured an outright win before going to the play-off.
Fleetwood briefly moved ahead with a birdie on the 16th to take a one-shot lead but ended tied after posting a six-under 66. Rai, currently ranked 30th in the world and last year’s Wyndham Championship winner, reflected on the importance of the event before the final round.
“This is a huge event. This is one of the biggest events we have on the DP World Tour. To win this week, to have a chance going into the weekend, is great. Still a long way to go and a lot of really good players. Yeah, we'll give it our best and see how it comes.”
Fleetwood’s final-round 67 featured one eagle and three birdies, while Hojgaard carded eight birdies and a single bogey in his 65.
Author’s Summary
Rai triumphed over Fleetwood in Dubai after a tense play-off, marking another Rolex Series victory that highlights his growing consistency on the DP World Tour.