Aaron Rai is a one-time PGA Tour and two-time DP World Tour winner. But on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, Rai will compete against some of the game’s best players for what would likely be the biggest win of his career. And that’s thanks in large part to an incredible swing on Friday that ended in an albatross.
Here’s what you need to know.
Aaron Rai goes in search of rare albatrosses
To say that Rai is on his second round of the HSBC Championship Abu Dhabi 2025 with a bang would be a major understatement.
After sitting at six under in the opening round at 66, Rai quickly made an easy par at first. Then he provided some serious fireworks on the 2nd.
Yas Links’ par-5 2nd played 528 yards on Friday. That may be a long time for the average recreational golfer, but it is very accessible for the pros. Rai hit his drive 322 yards into the middle of the fairway. That allowed him to reach the pin with a 214-yard shot.
Hoping to get a good look at the eagle, Rai did even better. He sent his shot through the air, then watched as it landed on the green and rolled on a perfect line into the cup for an albatross.
“I think we had about 185 yards to the front. The wind was a little to the left and that green was so fast that it sloped from front to back and ended up a few yards onto the green,” said Rai, explaining the shot after his round. “Actually caught a bit clean off the face, the line was great. It ended up around the front and chased it down there. You couldn’t see it from the back of the fairway so it was a nice surprise.”
The score of three under on one hole improved Rai’s score to nine under in an instant.
Rai retains the lead with Fleetwood, McIlroy in pursuit
Finishing at 18, Rai had shot an eight-under 64 in Round 2, moving level with world No. 5 Tommy Fleetwood.
But Rai did not give up in Saturday’s third round.
He could only birdie the second hole in Round 3, but that was one of five birdies Rai drained on the front nine. He added two more birdies on the back nine against one bogey to finish with another six-under 66.
His third great lap in a row put Rai in the solo lead heading into Sunday’s final lap. Even more incredible? This week’s event is Rai’s first competitive tournament since the BMW PGA Championship in September, almost two months ago.
Fleetwood, who shot 67 on Saturday, will start one shot behind Rai on Sunday. Fleetwood is chasing his second straight victory on the DP World Tour, following his triumph at the DP World India Championship in October.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy also shot a 66 in the third round. That means he’s 14 under, six shots behind Rai and 18 holes to play.
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