Jon Rahm wins Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship after LIV exit, McIlroy climbs to second

Final round at Yas Links

Jon Rahm shot a closing 67 at Yas Links to finish on 23 under par, two strokes clear of Tyrrell Hatton on 21 under. Rory McIlroy took third on 19 under after a closing 69, while Francesco Laporta, who had shared the lead with Rahm after the third round, fell back after a triple bogey at the par-3 13th. Rahm pulled away on the back nine with three birdies in a five-hole stretch starting at the 11th, and he dropped only one shot on Sunday. Hatton was the only player who threatened him late, but Rahm played the par-5 18th safely and made par to seal the win.

Jon Rahm-23

Tyrrell Hatton-21

Rory McIlroy-19

Francesco Laporta-17

Jon Rahm

-23 strokes to par

Tyrrell Hatton

-21 strokes to par

Rory McIlroy

-19 strokes to par

Francesco Laporta

-17 strokes to par

Data from the article text

A return from LIV

This was Rahm's first event in seven weeks and his first since missing the cut at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in late September. His wife gave birth to their fourth child, a daughter, during the break. LIV Golf has announced plans to wind down its operations, and El País reports that BC Partners withdrew a commitment of $300 million for the scaled-back LIV 2.0. Rahm had confirmed on Tuesday, 3 November, that he would not join LIV 2.0, and La Vanguardia says he is negotiating a possible return to the PGA Tour.

“It means a lot. It's been quite a while to play well in the DP World Tour.”

Race to Dubai

Rory McIlroy moved above Patrick Reed into second in the order of merit, with only Eugenio Chacarra ahead of him. McIlroy earned 565 points for third place, while Chacarra, who tied for 22nd, took 100, which reduced the gap to 459 points. The DP World Tour Championship in Dubai starts on Thursday, 12 November, and its winner earns 2,000 points. McIlroy will play the opening round in the final group alongside Chacarra, and an eighth Harry Vardon Trophy would equal Colin Montgomerie's record. He said a win would have cut his deficit further, or even given him the lead.

Rory McIlroy565

Eugenio Chacarra100

Rory McIlroy

565 points

Eugenio Chacarra

100 points

Data from the article text

“That's where I wanted to be. It's a pretty familiar spot for me going into the DP World Tour Championship, and I'm excited for it.”

What it means for Dubai

Rahm started the week outside the top 50, but the win puts him back in contention for the Race to Dubai if he can go back-to-back in Dubai. It is his first DP World Tour win in four years and his 11th on the circuit. Francesco Laporta, chasing a first DP World Tour title, was tied for the lead at 20 under at one stage on the back nine before a triple bogey at the 13th. Hatton and McIlroy, Rahm's Ryder Cup team-mates, both finished inside the top three. Chacarra tied for 22nd in the 70-man field, and Patrick Reed tied for 43rd.