🔗 Share this article The English golfer Secures Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in Thrilling Playoff Showdown Against Fellow Englishman Fleetwood Aaron Rai displayed exceptional nerve to secure the prestigious Abu Dhabi title on Sunday, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a tense play-off following a rollercoaster final round of play. Rai sank a crucial birdie putt from around eight foot to seal the win, echoing his sole prior tournament triumph at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was also a play-off win over Fleetwood. Sunday's Play Drama The champion entered the final round with a single stroke lead over countryman Fleetwood and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a overall score of 263 after a up-and-down, 67 final round that featured seven birdies and a pair of bogeys. The challenger edged a stroke clear with two holes remaining after a birdie on the sixteenth, but Rai tied it up again on the seventeenth and then failed to convert a ten-foot birdie attempt to win outright on the final green. Play-Off Decider That led to a playoff at the Yas Links course where the eventual winner triumphed to take the championship and $1.5 million (£1.13m) in prize money. {“Tommy is a world-class golfer and an even more person. To play with him the final two rounds was truly memorable,” said the winner, the present world No 30. “You’re so focused on playing the round and staying in the zone, it’s difficult to put into words at the moment how it is. It is amazing to be holding the trophy.” Notable Performances The Northern Irish star left himself a bit too far to do, finishing a stroke behind in a tie for third with Højgaard, after a spectacular 62 closing round of 62. It was McIlroy’s best-ever score on the DP World Tour, including eight birdies and one eagle. The Danish golfer fired six birdie putts of his own, but his hopes of topping the standings were dented by a bogey on the 12th. English golfer Richard Mansell hit an excellent final-round 63 to finish tied for fifth with Australian Hillier.