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Aaron Rai demonstrated remarkable composure to claim the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday, beating his compatriot in a dramatic playoff following a topsy-turvy final round of competition.

The Englishman nailed a decisive birdie from around eight foot to clinch the win, repeating his sole prior tournament triumph at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was likewise a playoff win over Fleetwood.

Final Round Drama

The champion entered the final round with a single stroke lead over fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Denmark’s Højgaard. He ended up with a overall score of 263 after a up-and-down, 67 closing round that featured seven birdie putts and a pair of bogeys.

Fleetwood edged one shot 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 Climax

That set up a playoff at the Yas Links course where Rai triumphed to take the championship and $1.5m (£1.13 million) in winnings.

{“Tommy is a world-class golfer and an even more individual. To compete alongside him the last two days was truly memorable,” said the winner, the present world No 30. “You’re so concentrated on playing the round and staying in the zone, it’s difficult to put into words at the present how it is. It is amazing to be stood here.”

Notable Performances

Rory McIlroy left himself just too much to make up, finishing a stroke behind in a shared third place with Højgaard, after a stunning 62 closing round of 62. It was McIlroy’s best-ever score on the DP World Tour, comprising eight birdies and one eagle.

The Danish golfer fired six birdies of his own, but his hopes of topping the standings were hit by a bogey on the twelfth. England’s Richard Mansell produced an excellent final-round seven-under to finish in a tie for fifth place with Australian Daniel Hillier.