🔗 Share this article The English golfer Secures Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in Dramatic Play-Off Battle Against Tommy Fleetwood Aaron Rai displayed remarkable composure to secure the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a dramatic playoff after a topsy-turvy last day of competition. Rai sank a decisive birdie from around eight feet to clinch the victory, repeating his only previous Rolex Series success at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was also a playoff win against the same opponent. Final Round Drama The champion started the last day with a single stroke advantage over countryman Tommy Fleetwood and Danish golfer Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a total score of twenty-under after a up-and-down, 67 final round that featured seven birdies and a pair of bogeys. The challenger edged one shot clear with the 16th and 17th remaining after a birdie on the 16th, but his rival tied it up again on the seventeenth and then missed a ten-foot birdie attempt to win outright on the last green. Playoff Climax That led to a playoff at Yas Links where the eventual winner prevailed to claim the championship and $1.5m (£1.13m) in prize money. {“Tommy is a phenomenal player and an even better individual. To play with him the final two rounds was really special,” stated Rai, the present world No 30. “You’re so focused on your game and staying in the zone, it’s difficult to put into words at the moment how it feels. It is incredible to be holding the trophy.” Other Contenders The Northern Irish star found himself just too much to do, finishing a stroke behind in a tie for third with Højgaard, after a stunning 10-under final round of ten-under. It was his best-ever round on the European Tour, comprising eight birdies and one eagle. Højgaard fired six birdies of his own, but his hopes of leading the leaderboard were dented by a dropped shot on the twelfth. English golfer Richard Mansell produced an excellent last round 63 to end up in a tie for fifth place with Australian Daniel Hillier.