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Aaron Rai displayed exceptional composure to claim the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the final day, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a tense playoff after a rollercoaster last day of play.

The Englishman sank a crucial birdie putt from just over eight foot to clinch the victory, echoing his sole prior Rolex Series triumph at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was also a play-off win against Fleetwood.

Sunday's Play Excitement

Rai entered the final round with a single stroke advantage over fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard. He finished with a overall score of 263 after a up-and-down, five-under closing round that included seven birdies and a pair of bogeys.

The challenger moved a stroke clear with the 16th and 17th to play after a birdie putt on the sixteenth, but his rival tied it up again on the 17th and then failed to convert a 10-foot birdie attempt to claim victory on the final green.

Play-Off Decider

That led to a playoff at Yas Links where the eventual winner prevailed to take the title and $1.5m (£1.13 million) in winnings.

{“Tommy is a phenomenal player and an even better person. To compete alongside him the last two days was truly memorable,” said the winner, the present 30th-ranked player globally. “You’re so concentrated on your game and staying in the zone, it’s hard to put into words at the present how it is. It is incredible to be stood here.”

Notable Contenders

The Northern Irish star left himself just too much to do, coming up a stroke short in a shared third place with Højgaard, after a spectacular 62 final round of ten-under. It was McIlroy’s best-ever round on the European Tour, comprising eight birdie putts and one eagle.

The Danish golfer fired six birdies of his as well, but his hopes of topping the standings were dented by a bogey on the twelfth. England’s Mansell produced an superb final-round seven-under to end up in a tie for fifth place with Australia’s Hillier.