Aaron Rai takes the Abu Dhabi crown in a playoff over Tommy Fleetwood

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.

"My caddie, Jason, was great with me. Walking down the 15th, he played a big part in just helping me through that period. It was a little bit of a shock to miss that putt," explained Rai.

"Yeah, he just kind of helped me switch the focus and stay in the present, as cliché as that sounds, and to turn our attention to the shots ahead of us and the next few holes. He was the biggest part in that."

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.

Rai started the week 55th on the season-long standings, needing a big week to make sure of his spot at the DP World Tour Championship, with the leading 50 available players qualifying. He now heads to the second event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs in ninth position in the Rankings and as the Tour's most recent winner.

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. The defending champion goes into the final event of the season with a 767.02 point lead over second placed Marco Penge as he aims to top the Rankings for the seventh time.

Daniel Hillier and Richard Mansell were two shots further back on 22 under, with Nacho Elvira and Andy Sullivan at 21 under, and Penge, Angel Ayora and Robert MacIntyre rounding out the top ten at 20 under.

Top Scores
263 A RAI (ENG) 66 64 66 67, T FLEETWOOD (ENG) 64 66 67 66,
264 R MCILROY (NIR) 68 68 66 62, N HOJGAARD (DEN) 65 67 65 67,
266 R MANSELL (ENG) 66 70 67 63, D HILLIER (NZL) 66 68 65 67,
267 A SULLIVAN (ENG) 65 67 67 68, N ELVIRA (ESP) 65 68 65 69,
268 M PENGE (ENG) 67 68 70 63, A AYORA (ESP) 69 70 66 63, R MACINTYRE (SCO) 69 68 66 65

Aaron Rai - Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images