Andy DevaneyFor a few minutes at Yas Links, Jon Rahm was sharing the lead with three other players. By the end of Sunday, he had something entirely to himself: a record sixth Rolex Series title.
The Spaniard produced a closing 67 to win the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on 23 under par, two shots ahead of Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton, breaking the Rolex Series victories record the pair had previously shared.
It was Rahm’s first appearance at the tournament and his 11th DP World Tour victory. Not a bad introduction to Abu Dhabi, particularly given how crowded the leaderboard had become heading into the closing stretch.
Francesco Laporta and Rory McIlroy both threatened to spoil the occasion, with all four players sharing top spot during the back nine. But when the pressure began to tell, Rahm made his move.
Four Players, One Trophy and a Decisive Back Nine
McIlroy wasted little time making his intentions clear. The Northern Irishman found the green at the 378-yard opening hole for birdie before holing a long eagle putt from the fairway at the second to reach 19 under.
Rahm matched his opening birdie, while Laporta joined the conversation with gains at the first and third. When Rahm dropped a shot at the third, the Italian briefly held the lead outright.
That advantage lasted until Rahm responded with consecutive birdies at the fifth and sixth, moving to 20 under. Laporta’s birdie at the seventh brought him level again, with Hatton also firmly in contention after picking up shots at five and six.
The real drama arrived after the turn.
McIlroy birdied the tenth and 11th to rejoin the leaders, while Hatton’s gain at the 11th briefly left four players tied at 20 under.
It was the sort of leaderboard that could have required a considerably larger trophy presentation.
Rahm and Laporta promptly birdied the same hole to move one clear, but the contest shifted decisively at the 12th.
Laporta found trouble and failed to save par. Rahm, meanwhile, converted a short birdie opportunity. Two shots separated them in the space of a single hole.
The Italian’s challenge then unravelled with a triple-bogey at the 13th, leaving Rahm firmly in control.
A superb approach to the 15th gave the Spaniard another tap-in birdie and moved him to 23 under. Hatton responded with a birdie of his own, but the two-shot gap remained.
Rahm closed with three consecutive pars to secure the victory, while Hatton signed for a final-round 68 and outright second place at 21 under.
McIlroy Still Has the Race to Dubai in His Sights
While Rahm collected the trophy, McIlroy left Abu Dhabi with plenty still to play for.
His third-place finish at 19 under lifted him to second in the Race to Dubai Rankings ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, where he will pursue a record-equalling eighth Harry Vardon Trophy.
There was some frustration, though. Having worked his way back into a share of the lead with birdies at the tenth and 11th, McIlroy could not convert opportunities at the next two holes.
He also needed to scramble for par at the 14th as his momentum stalled.
Reflecting on the week, McIlroy said: “But it was a good week. I saw some encouraging signs in the game. You know, I’m going to be in that final group going out on Thursday next week. So yeah, I obviously would have loved to have won the tournament, but enough positive signs to feel good about going into next week.”
The performance keeps him within reach of another season-long title, even if the Abu Dhabi trophy went elsewhere.
Elsewhere on the leaderboard, Laporta finished fourth at 17 under, with Ángel Ayora, David Puig and Bernd Wiesberger sharing fifth at 16 under.
Jayden Schaper took eighth at 15 under, while Nathan Kimsey, Matthew Jordan, Adam Scott, Frederic Lacroix and Freddy Schott completed the group at 14 under.
Rahm Finds Calm When It Matters Most
For Rahm, the victory carried an additional significance beyond the record books.
The Spaniard admitted he had arrived with some uncertainty about his game after taking time away from golf, something he rarely finds comfortable.
“I’m a bit of a workhorse. I don’t do well not having a golf club in my hands. But it does feel good sometimes. And once we start a tournament on a Thursday, it’s not really in my head, right. I feel like I’m capable of hitting any shot that I’ve hit before, and I had a lovely start, right. I was three-under through six, and obviously after playing that good, it never crossed my mind again.”
He also spoke about the demands of recent months, including how the impending birth of his daughter had weighed on his mind during Wentworth.
That perspective appeared to help his composure in Abu Dhabi. Rahm described feeling unusually calm throughout the week, even when things were not going entirely to plan.
There was also the small matter of discovering a tournament he had somehow never played before.
“I keep thinking what has taken me so long to come here.”
After a first visit that ended with a record-breaking victory, he has rather less reason to stay away.
What’s in Jon Rahm’s Bag?
Rahm’s Abu Dhabi victory also provided another significant result for Callaway, with the Spaniard using the manufacturer’s equipment throughout the tournament.
His winning setup included the Quantum Triple Diamond driver, Apex TCB irons and the Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie S putter.
The brand also enjoyed success on the Ladies European Tour, where Ana Peláez Trevino claimed the 2026 Aramco China Championship using a full bag of Callaway equipment.
It was her second LET title, completing a double-winning weekend for the manufacturer.
For Rahm, however, the defining numbers were on the leaderboard: 23 under par, two shots clear and six Rolex Series victories. A record that now belongs to him alone.
