Andy DevaneyJon Rahm has won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai three times. In Abu Dhabi, however, he has yet to hit a competitive shot. For a man with such an impressive record in the UAE, that is a rather curious gap on the golfing CV.
The Spaniard will put that right from 5–8 November when he makes his Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship debut at Yas Links, bringing five Rolex Series titles and ten DP World Tour victories to the opening event of the season-ending Play-Offs.
And this is a tournament with considerably more riding on it than the opportunity to add another trophy to the cabinet.
The leading 70 available players on the Race to Dubai Rankings will compete in Abu Dhabi, with only the top 50 qualifying for the following week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Five Rolex Series Titles, but Abu Dhabi Is New Territory
Rahm’s success in the Emirates has been remarkably consistent.
He won the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2017, 2019 and 2022, accounting for three of his five Rolex Series victories. His other two came at the Irish Open in 2017 and 2019.
That five-title haul puts the former World Number One level with Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton at the top of the Rolex Series winners’ list.
His second victory in Dubai also carried particular significance. By topping the 2019 Race to Dubai Rankings, Rahm became the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros to finish the season in that position.
Not bad company, particularly when the other chap remains one of the most revered figures Spanish golf has ever produced.
Abu Dhabi, though, remains uncharted competitive territory for Rahm.
“I’ve had some of the best weeks of my career in the UAE, so I’m really looking forward to playing in Abu Dhabi for the first time,” said Rahm.
For a player who has already contributed 10.5 points to Europe’s cause across four Ryder Cups, he arrives with no shortage of experience in golf’s more demanding environments. Yas Links will simply offer a different examination.
McIlroy’s Race to Dubai Ambitions Add to the Intrigue
Rahm will find plenty of familiar company when he arrives in the UAE capital.
Six-time Major champion Rory McIlroy is also in the field, with the Northern Irishman pursuing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title.
Defending champion Aaron Rai returns too, with the US PGA Champion adding further strength to a field already rich in established names.
The presence of Rahm, McIlroy and Rai gives the championship considerable star appeal, although the most interesting feature of the tournament may be its position in the calendar.
Abu Dhabi is where the Play-Offs begin, and its results will determine the 50 players who progress to the season finale.
For those near the qualification threshold, a place at the DP World Tour Championship is the immediate concern. For McIlroy, the wider Race to Dubai contest provides another layer of interest.
Rahm, meanwhile, has an opportunity to extend an already impressive UAE record somewhere he has never competed before.
From Yas Links to the Dubai Finale
The two-event conclusion to the DP World Tour season makes for a straightforward itinerary: Abu Dhabi first, Dubai the following week.
Rahm is looking forward to experiencing the opening venue.
“I’ve heard great things about Yas Links, and I’m looking forward to playing there. It’ll be great to get started in Abu Dhabi before heading to Dubai the following week.”
The championship, staged by Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the DP World Tour, will bring the leading available Race to Dubai contenders together at Yas Links before the field is reduced for the final tournament.
That gives the opening week a purpose beyond establishing a winner. It also settles who earns the opportunity to contest the season-ending event.
Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship Tickets and Hospitality
Spectators planning to attend Yas Links have several options, including free general admission for the opening two days, Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November.
Weekend general admission tickets start at AED 75.
Those looking for additional hospitality can choose Bar on Nine, the Ticket+ experience returning after its popularity in 2025.
A limited allocation of promotional tickets starts at AED 170, including an AED 100 food and drink voucher.
At the higher end is the Championship Chalet on the 18th green, where tickets start at AED 1,680. The air-conditioned hospitality area offers panoramic views of the finishing hole, with guests positioned to watch the tournament’s closing action.
Further details and ticket bookings are available through the championship ticket information link.
The chalet may provide a particularly comfortable view of the 18th. But wherever spectators choose to stand, the sporting stakes remain the same: one championship, 70 players and just 50 places available for the final stop in Dubai.
