When one door closes, another one opens. For Jon Rahm, it led him into the winner’s circle for his first meaningful victory since his 2023 Masters triumph. In his debut start at the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links GC, the Spaniard could do no wrong as he reached 23 under par for the tournament, winning by two strokes over his former LIV Golf mate, Tyrrell Hatton.
Rahm’s victory marks his 11th DP World Tour title in just 92 starts, making him the third fastest to that number behind only Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros. He also now has six Rolex Series events to his name — breaking a tie with Hatton for the most — this one carrying significant weight one week ahead of the DP World Tour Championship.
“It means a lot,” Rahm said. “Still almost not letting myself believe it. It’s been quite a while since I’ve played good in a DP World Tour event. And in my last showing, if you don’t count the withdrawals, I think I finished last. So, from last to first is a pretty good feeling.
“As far as I’m concerned, except the shot on 17, I played a pretty flawless back nine. It was really, really solid. Never in danger of making a bogey except for one hole. … That 6-iron [on 15] is a contender for shot of the year for me. After everything that’s gone on and some poor play and some battles, mentally, with a lot of the noise, to come back out after a little bit of rest and having a new addition to the family, it’s quite special. I only wish they were here to celebrate with me.”
Although Rahm called LIV Golf home in 2026, the former world No. 1 still has an opportunity to call himself the Race to Dubai champion on the DP World Tour. Should he run the table in the postseason and win the DP World Tour Championship next week, Rahm would need Rory McIlroy to finish worse than second place and current Race to Dubai leader, Eugenio Chacarra, to finish outside eighth place, according to the DP World Tour broadcast.
Rahm has won the DP World Tour Championship on three previous occasions; he also captured the Race to Dubai in 2019.
“I didn’t think I would ever have a chance to win it,” Rahm said. “Very excited. Actually gives me a little extra incentive next week. I really didn’t think I was going to have a chance. Those are better odds than I expected, so [I’m] looking forward to it, and hopefully I can get my fourth one.”
Rahm was among four players tied for the lead heading into the back nine as his playing partners, Hatton and Francesco LaPorta, applied pressure while McIlroy made his move a group ahead. McIlroy ultimately fell off the pace with a bogey on No. 15, while LaPorta played Nos. 12-13 in 4-over fashion to drop out of contention.
That left Rahm and Hatton to duke it out over the finishing stretch. Rahm just about sealed the deal with his approach shot into the par-4 15th.
Not all is lost for McIlroy as he seeks to capture a record eighth Race to Dubai crown next week. The six-time major champion just about halved his deficit to Chacarra with his third-place finish at 19 under and leapfrogged Patrick Reed in the standings to position himself No. 2 in the season-long race with four rounds to go.
Reed sits in third place in the Race to Dubai after leading the competition for most of the season with Casey Jarvis and Aaron Rai rounding out the top five. Rahm made a massive move from No. 51 to No. 6 thanks to his win and eyes even more next week when attention shifts to Dubai.
“It’s a pretty familiar spot for me going into the DP World Tour Championship, and I’m excited for it,” McIlroy said. “That was the goal coming into these two weeks to try to catch Eugenio and Patrick and try to win The Race to Dubai again. Yeah, it would have been great to win this week and give myself not as much of a deficit or even a lead but still feel like I’m right in there with a great chance.”
