Aaron Rai clinched the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title on Sunday, edging out Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff to seal his first Rolex Series win.
Rai started the final round with a narrow lead over Fleetwood, but the two ended up tied at 25 under par.
Rory McIlroy and Nicolai Hojgaard both made strong pushes, but it was Rai and Fleetwood who finished level at Yas Links, forcing extra holes.
During the playoff, the 30-year-old pulled off a clutch birdie to top his countryman’s par and secure his third win on the European Tour.
After sinking the putt that sealed it, Rai had praise for Fleetwood.
Aaron Rai looks back on ‘really special’ clash with Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood has become a reliable closer this year, so it was not surprising that many expected him to come out on top in the playoff.
But Rai, who had already beaten Fleetwood in a Scottish Open playoff back in 2020, drew on that experience and found an edge.
When speaking after the match, he had nothing but respect for his opponent.
“It’s hard to sum up. You are so focused on playing the round, just trying to stay in the zone, that it’s hard to put into words how this feels or how I’ll reflect on it.
“It’s amazing to be standing here. Tommy is a phenomenal player; he is an even better player than he is a person, and that says a lot.
“To play with him the last two days and to be out there with him was really special as well, so amazing to be here.”
Rai credits his caddie for keeping him focused after final-round miscue
Rai made a costly mistake on the 14th hole during the final round, nearly handing away the Abu Dhabi title.
He three-putted from inside three feet, resulting in a bogey at a crucial moment.
But after the round, the 30-year-old pointed to his caddie, Jason Timmis, for helping him move past it.
“My caddie, Jason, was great walking down the 15th. It was a shock to the system missing a short putt on 14.
“He was great telling me to stay present and just focus on the next shot and try to finish strong. I made a good up and down on 15, which helped.
“I made another nice putt which gave me confidence moving forward and it was nice to finish strong over those final three holes as well.”
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