Aaron Rai Secures Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in Dramatic Play-Off Battle Versus Tommy Fleetwood
Aaron Rai demonstrated remarkable composure to claim the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a dramatic play-off following a topsy-turvy last day of play.
The Englishman nailed a decisive birdie from around eight feet to seal the win, repeating his sole prior tournament triumph at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was also a playoff victory over Fleetwood.
Sunday's Play Drama
Rai entered the last day with a single stroke lead over countryman Fleetwood and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a total score of 263 after a up-and-down, five-under closing round that included seven birdie putts and two bogeys.
Fleetwood moved one shot clear with the 16th and 17th remaining after a birdie putt on the sixteenth, but Rai pulled level again on the seventeenth and then missed a 10-foot birdie putt to claim victory on the final green.
Play-Off Decider
That set up a playoff at the Yas Links course where Rai triumphed to take the title and $1.5 million (£1.13m) in prize money.
{“Tommy is a phenomenal player and an even better person. To compete alongside him the last two days was really special,” stated Rai, the current world No 30. “You’re so concentrated on your game and maintaining focus, it’s difficult to describe at the present how it is. It is incredible to be holding the trophy.”
Other Contenders
The Northern Irish star found himself just too much to make up, finishing one shot short in a shared third place with the Dane, after a spectacular 62 closing round of 62. It was his lowest-ever round on the DP World Tour, including eight birdie putts and one eagle.
The Danish golfer carded six birdie putts of his as well, but his chances of topping the leaderboard were dented by a dropped shot on the 12th. England’s Richard Mansell hit an excellent final-round seven-under to finish tied for fifth with Australian Hillier.
