Jon Rahm Wins Abu Dhabi at 23 Under After LIV Exit
Rahm beat Tyrrell Hatton by two shots at Yas Links on November 8. Rory McIlroy finished third as three European Ryder Cup team-mates led the leaderboard.
Players Mentioned
Jon Rahm won the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on November 8, 2026, finishing at 23 under par after a closing 67. Tyrrell Hatton was second at 21 under and Rory McIlroy third at 19 under at Yas Links.
The DP World Tour's tournament report confirms the two-shot margin and Rahm's record sixth Rolex Series title. It was his first appearance in the Abu Dhabi event.
Abu Dhabi's leading finishers
| Position | Player | Total to par |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jon Rahm | -23 |
| 2 | Tyrrell Hatton | -21 |
| 3 | Rory McIlroy | -19 |
| 4 | Francesco Laporta | -17 |
Rahm, Hatton, McIlroy and Laporta briefly shared the lead at 20 under during the back nine. Rahm then pulled clear and finished with three pars, keeping Hatton two shots behind.
Sky Sports' final-round account records six birdies and one bogey in Rahm's 67. McIlroy opened birdie-eagle but could not sustain that early momentum through the closing holes. Laporta's challenge faded with a triple bogey at the 13th.
A winning return after leaving LIV
The result gives Rahm a tournament victory immediately after his departure from LIV Golf. The focus now moves from his future schedule to how he builds on this performance through the closing event of the DP World Tour season.
His LIV exit background traces the October agreement reports. The league's separate wind-down announcement and reported financing approach concern its corporate future, rather than Sunday's scoring.
What the result means for Europe's Ryder Cup watch
Three European team-mates occupying the first three places provides Luke Donald with a strong week of individual form to consider. Rahm closed out a contested final round, Hatton kept the pressure on and McIlroy remained in contention into the back nine. That makes Abu Dhabi useful evidence when assessing experienced candidates for Adare Manor.
Europe's qualification process awards six automatic places and six captain's picks. The qualifying period runs through August 22, 2027, so this November result does not settle the team.
Race to Dubai and Ryder Cup points are separate calculations. McIlroy moved to second in the Race to Dubai after Abu Dhabi; that position is not his Ryder Cup ranking. For Ryder Cup totals, use the dated official list linked from the qualification tracker.
The next comparison is consistency across subsequent starts and suitability for the team formats. Follow Rahm's Ryder Cup record and the European candidate watch alongside the points race.
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