Rahm Holds Off Hatton and McIlroy to Win in Abu Dhabi and Begin His Career Rebuild

There was a moment on the back nine at Yas Links when four of the best golfers in the world were tied at the top, and the Abu Dhabi Championship looked like it could belong to any of them. Jon Rahm made sure it belonged to him.

Rahm pulled away with three birdies in a five-hole stretch from the 11th, carded a final-round 67, and finished at 23 under par to win the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship by two shots from Tyrrell Hatton, with Rory McIlroy four back in third. It was his first European tour title in four years and a record-breaking sixth Rolex Series crown — he had gone into the week locked on five with Hatton.

McIlroy came out swinging, birdieing the first and holing an eagle putt from the fairway at the second. Rahm answered with a birdie at the first, then took the outright lead when McIlroy bogeyed the third. Francesco Laporta, chasing a first title, briefly led alone. By the turn, Rahm and Laporta shared the lead at 20 under, Hatton one behind.

Then four men were tied at 20 under early on the back nine — McIlroy with birdies at the 10th and 11th, Hatton with a shot picked up at the 11th. It lasted only moments. Rahm and Laporta both birdied the 11th, and then the tournament turned on two holes. At the 12th, Laporta found trouble and could not save par while Rahm birdied from short range. At the short par-3 13th, Laporta triple-bogeyed and his race was run. McIlroy's charge slowed with a bogey at the 15th — the same hole where Rahm's approach set up a tap-in birdie.

Hatton kept his card clean and matched Rahm's birdie at the 15th to stay two behind, but he could not make enough birdies to reel his friend in. Rahm walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot lead, played it safe, and made par to close out a 67 and a 265 total. Hatton signed for a 68 and solo second at 21 under, sealing his place at next week's finale. McIlroy's 69 left him third at 19 under, Laporta two shots further back in fourth.

For Rahm, the win is about far more than a trophy. It was his first event in seven weeks — a break during which his wife gave birth to their second daughter, the couple's fourth child — and he has been finalizing his departure from LIV Golf, giving up millions he is owed. With LIV announcing plans to wind down this week anyway, Rahm is heading back to the established tours for next season, and he arrives with a big win in his pocket. His last European tour victory was the World Tour Championship in November 2022, followed months later by a Masters green jacket and the world No. 1 ranking. His iron play this week suggested a return to that 2021-23 level, when he collected his two major titles.

McIlroy will rue the two-shot penalty on Thursday that turned a double-bogey six into an eight and likely cost him a genuine shot at the title. "It was a week where I had my chances," he said. "I would have loved to have won the tournament, but enough positive signs to feel good going into next week." Third place lifts the world No. 2 into second in the Race to Dubai, around 500 points behind leader Eugenio Chacarra. With 2,000 points on offer at next week's World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy can still claim a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, matching Colin Montgomerie.