Aaron Rai claimed his second Rolex Series crown at the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after beating Tommy Fleetwood in a dramatic play-off on Sunday.
The Englishman started the day with a one-shot lead but soon found himself two shots back following a fast start from playing partner Fleetwood.
But a run of four successive birdies on the front nine returned him to the top before Fleetwood regained control on a roller-coaster final day.
Rai produced late fireworks, though, birdieing the 16th and 17th to sit level with Fleetwood at the summit heading down the last.
And although he missed a good chance to win inside 72 holes on the 18th green, he made no mistake with his birdie putt at the first extra hole to become a three-time DP World Tour winner.
Rai, who won his first Rolex Series title at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, made a total of seven birdies – including four in a row from the fourth – and two bogeys in his closing 67 to reach 25 under par, while Fleetwood produced a bogey-free 66 that featured an eagle and four birdies.
Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy fired a ten-under-par 62 to sit one shot behind Fleetwood and Rai in a tie for third alongside Nicolai Højgaard.
Daniel Hillier and Richard Mansell were two shots further back on 22 under.
Rai started the week 55th on the season-long standings, needing a big week to book his spot at next week’s DP World Tour Championship, and now he heads there as the Tour’s most recent winner.
Rai, who embraced his father Amrik after clinching victory, said: “It’s hard to sum up. I think you’re just so focused on playing the round and obviously just trying to stay in your zone. It’shard to put into words at the moment how this feels or how I’m going to reflect on it.
“But it’s just amazing to be stood here. Tommy is a phenomenal player. He’s an even better person than he is a player and that says a lot.
“To play with him the last two days and be out there with him was really special. So yeah, amazing to be here.”
Speaking about how he bounced back from missing his close-range par putt on the 14th, Rai added: “My caddie Jason (Timmis) was great. Because it was a little bit of a shock to the system really on the 14th, missing a short putt there.
“He was great, just telling me to stay present and just focusing on playing the next shots and trying to finish strong. Made a really good up-and-down on the 15th which really helped.
“Made a nice putt there which certainly gave a little bit of confidence moving forward. That was an important moment. And yeah, it was nice to finish off strongly over the last few holes as well.”
Rai was handed the trophy by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, while the presentation party also included His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, His Excellency General Abdulla Al Hashmi, President of the Emirates Golf Federation, Abdulfattah Sharaf, Chairman of the Board, HSBC Bank Middle East, Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, Eric Nicoli, Chairman of the European Tour Group and Abdulla Ahmed Mohamed Rasool Alkahoori – Mohamed Rasool Khoory & Sons.
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