The Ryder Cup is narrowly topped by Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy in Abu Dhabi

If you think pro golf is in the offseason, then you probably didn’t wake up early enough to watch the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week. On Sunday, fans who did participate were treated to a heavyweight bout featuring two European Ryder Cup stars: reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy and world No. 5 Tommy Fleetwood.

But in the end, it was another European pro left out of the 2025 Ryder Cup team who prevailed: Aaron Rai.

Rory McIlroy makes an epic Sunday attack in Abu Dhabi

Sunday’s final round at Yas Links was set up as a grudge match between Rai and Fleetwood.

Fleetwood was fresh off wins at the Tour Championship and the DP World India Championship last month. He also played in the European Ryder Cup win over Bethpage Black.

Hailing from England, Rai failed to earn one of European captain Luke Donald’s captaincy picks after finishing 15th in the final European Ryder Cup standings.

The players were tied for the lead after the second round, with Rai making an incredible albatross on the par-5 2nd hole. By round 3 Rai was one ahead of Fleetwood and took a small lead to the last lap.

However, McIlroy was unlikely to play a role. Although he had shot a 66 on Saturday to reach 14 under, he remained six shots behind Rai’s lead on a course where everyone was going low.

But the five-time major champion did not give up. Instead, he lit up the track before Rai and Fleetwood had even turned off.

McIlroy birdied the 1st and then reached the par-5 2nd to move to 17 under, three shots off the lead.

He then outdid himself on the back nine, nailing five consecutive birdies from holes 10 through 14, rocketing him up the leaderboard. When it was all over, McIlroy had posted an incredible 10-under 62, equaling the lead at 24-under.

But with Rai and Fleetwood still on the course and a few more holes to play, that wouldn’t be enough to give McIlroy the title.

Aaron Rai beats Tommy Fleetwood in the play-off after clutch birdies

With McIlroy in the house at the age of 24, Rai and Fleetwood would need a clutch to have a chance of lifting the trophy.

When Fleetwood birdied the 12th and Rai made bogey on 14, Fleetwood was suddenly level with McIlroy on 24 under, with Rai two back on 23 under.

Both players birdied at 16, with Fleetwood jumping ahead of McIlroy by one. On the par-3 17th hole, both players made long putts. But Fleetwood’s had to save par. Rai drained his putt for birdie to bring their scores to 25 under heading to the 18th hole.

There was a lot at stake on the closing hole. Bogeys for the two leaders would force a four-man play-off with McIlroy and Nicolai Hojgaard. A birdie for both would give them the win.

Fleetwood and Rai could only make pars on the 72nd hole, so they went back to the 18th tee for a sudden death play-off. The second time, Rai drained a mid-range putt for birdie to finally beat Fleetwood and claim victory.

It was Rai’s third career DP World Tour victory and it also moved him into the top 50 of the Race to Dubai rankings, earning him a spot in next week’s DP World Tour Championship.

Interestingly, Rai’s second DP World Tour victory came at the 2020 Scottish Open, where he also defeated Fleetwood in a play-off.

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