Jon Rahm held off Ryder Cup teammates Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton to win the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, earning his first European tour title in four years and starting his post-LIV Golf career rebuild in style.
Rahm closed with a 5-under 67 to finish 23 under par at Yas Links, two strokes clear of Hatton (68) and four ahead of McIlroy (69) in the first of two season-ending playoff tournaments in the United Arab Emirates.
The win came in Rahm's first event in seven weeks, during which his wife gave birth to their second daughter, the couple's fourth child, and he set about finalizing a departure from LIV that will see him give up millions of dollars owed to him. With LIV announcing plans this week to wind down operations anyway, Rahm is heading back to the established tours next season with a big win in hand.
"After everything that's gone on," Rahm said, "and some poor play and some battles mentally with a lot of noise, to come back out after a bit of rest and being with the family, it's quite special."
His last regular European tour win had been the World Tour Championship in November 2022, months before a Masters green jacket and the world No. 1 ranking, and then the controversial move to LIV. His iron play this week suggested a return to his level of 2021 to 2023, when he won his two major titles.
Early on the back nine, Rahm, McIlroy, Hatton and Francesco Laporta were tied for the lead at 20 under before Rahm pulled clear with three birdies in five holes from No. 11. McIlroy, who opened his round with a birdie and an eagle, stalled with a bogey at No. 15, while Laporta, chasing a first title, fell away with a triple bogey at the par-3 13th. Hatton kept his card clean but could not find enough birdies to catch Rahm, who reached the par-5 18th two ahead and played it safe for par.
"As far as I'm concerned, except the (tee) shot on No. 17, I played a pretty flawless round," said Rahm, who collected $1.5 million for the win. "It was really, really something." Two former LIV players finishing first and second may hint at what lies ahead on the European tour, with many wanting to return to their roots after the end of the circuit once bankrolled by Saudi money.
McIlroy's disappointment was softened by a rise in the seasonlong Race to Dubai standings. Third place moved the world No. 2 above Patrick Reed and into second, behind only Eugenio Chacarra, a 26-year-old Spaniard in his first full season who tied for 22nd this week, with one event left: the World Tour Championship in Dubai starting Thursday. Reed tied for 43rd in the 70-man field. McIlroy trails Chacarra by around 500 points, with 2,000 available to next week's winner, and is chasing Colin Montgomerie's record of eight Race to Dubai titles, called the Order of Merit in the Scot's day.
A two-shot penalty on Thursday, turning a double-bogey 6 into an 8, hurt McIlroy's chances, but he was encouraged by his performance. "It was a week where I had my chances," he said. "I would have loved to have won the tournament, but enough positive signs to feel good going into next week."
Rahm moved up to No. 6 in the standings, leaving an outside chance of the season-long title, though he would need to win on the Earth course next week to have any hope. "Actually gives me a little extra incentive next week," he said. "I really didn't think I was going to have a chance. Those are better odds than I expected."
