The English golfer Clinches Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in Dramatic Playoff Showdown Against Fellow Englishman Fleetwood
Aaron Rai displayed remarkable nerve to secure the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday, beating his compatriot in a tense play-off following a topsy-turvy final round of competition.
Rai sank a decisive birdie putt from around eight feet to seal the win, repeating his sole prior tournament success at the 2020 Scottish Open, which was also a playoff win against Fleetwood.
Final Round Drama
Rai entered the last day with a single stroke lead over countryman Fleetwood and Danish golfer Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a overall score of 263 after a up-and-down, 67 closing round that included seven birdies and a pair of bogeys.
Fleetwood edged a stroke clear with two holes to play after a birdie on the sixteenth, but Rai pulled level again on the seventeenth and then failed to convert a ten-foot birdie putt to win outright on the final green.
Playoff Decider
That led to a play-off at Yas Links where Rai triumphed to take the title and $1.5m (£1.13 million) in prize money.
{“Tommy is a world-class player and an even more person. To play with him the final two rounds was really special,” stated the winner, the present 30th-ranked player globally. “You’re so focused on your game and staying in the zone, it’s hard to describe at the present how it feels. It is incredible to be stood here.”
Notable Performances
Rory McIlroy found himself a bit too far to do, coming up a stroke short in a shared third place with Højgaard, after a spectacular 10-under final round of 62. It was his lowest-ever round on the European Tour, comprising eight birdies and an eagle.
The Danish golfer carded six birdie putts of his own, but his hopes of topping the leaderboard were dented by a bogey on the twelfth. English golfer Richard Mansell produced an excellent last round 63 to end up in a tie for fifth place with Australia’s Hillier.
