Jon Rahm made a triumphant return to the European Tour, winning the Abu Dhabi Championship by two strokes over Tyrrell Hatton on Sunday. This Spanish golfer played his first event on the DP Tour after leaving the bankrupt LIV Golf tour last month.
Rahm's Special Feeling After the Championship
Rahm said about this: "This is very important to me. I can hardly believe it because it has been a long time since I played well in a DP Tour event, and my last performance, if we don't count the withdrawals, seems like I finished last. It feels good to go from last to first."
Rahm started the day with a one-stroke lead over Hatton and Francesco Laporta, while Rory McIlroy was one stroke behind. Rahm achieved three birdies at the start and three more at the end of the round. After a bogey on the third hole, he did not drop another shot, although he experienced a moment of fear.
Tight Competition and Final Result
He stated: "For me, except for the tee shot on hole 17, the last nine holes were almost flawless. Really, really solid." Rahm also added about his return to the field: "After everything that has happened and my poor play, the mental battles with the noise, returning to the field after a bit of rest and having a new member in the family is special." He announced the birth of his fourth child in October.
After temporarily losing his lead due to McIlroy's good start, he regained the lead on the third hole and never let it go, although he had to share it for a while. He was tied for the lead on the eleventh hole with Laporta, McIlroy, and Hatton. Laporta lost three strokes in the next two holes, and Rahm pulled away with birdies on holes 12 and 15, ultimately finishing with a round of 67 and a total of 23 under par 265 to claim the championship title.
Hatton finished with a score of 68, two strokes behind Rahm, securing his place in next week's World Tour Championship in Dubai. McIlroy, with two strokes more, reached second place in the DP rankings and is striving for the eighth Harry Vardon Trophy, which is the traditional award for the top player on the European Tour.
