Jon Rahm suddenly looks like a different golfer again

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Well, how good was that? How amazing was it to see Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy going head to head in Abu Dhabi?

Unencumbered and unburdened by his LIV contract, Rahm looked like a different player.

Rahm arrived at Yas Links after seven weeks away from competitive golf. You may recall that he had a thoroughly miserable time of it at the BMW PGA Championship, where he missed the cut by a mile and looked a shadow of his former self. But this was the man we remembered. This was the major winner whose form persuaded LIV to invest a reported $500m to secure his services in the first place.

Rahm fired a final-round 67 to clinch a two-shot victory over Hatton at the Abu Dhabi Championship, with McIlroy third.

The Spaniard produced six birdies with just one dropped shot to finish clear of Hatton with McIlroy another two strokes further back.

"It means a lot. It's been quite a while to play well in the DP World Tour," Rahm told Sky Sports.

"Except a shot on 17, as far as I'm concerned, I played a pretty flawless back nine. It was really solid, never in danger of making a bogey except that one hole."

Jon Rahm

Rahm had taken an overnight lead of a single stroke into Sunday after a third-round 66.

His Ryder Cup team-mates Hatton and McIlroy, as well as Italian Francesco Laporta, managed to carry the chase into the back nine on Sunday.

Laporta, chasing a maiden DP World Tour success, produced three birdies on the front nine to make the turn in a tie with playing partner Rahm. 

McIlroy, in the group further ahead, picked up a pair of shots on the 11th and 12th to join them on 20 under.

Across the closing stretch, however, Rahm's challengers fell away.

After he matched McIlroy's birdie at the par-five 12th, the six-time major winner missed a birdie putt on the 13th before dropping a shot on the 15th thanks to a wayward approach.

He would finish with a three-under 69 on the day to seal his 11th top-three finish at a tournament he still has yet to win. 

Having left the 11th green four under for his day, Laporta dropped four shots in two holes to tumble out of contention. 

The 36-year-old, who led after the second round, finished in fourth, six shots off the pace.

Hatton, whose final-round 68 included four birdies and 14 pars, briefly closed the gap to a single shot on the 15th, but Rahm matched the Englishman's birdie moments later with a three-foot putt following a brilliant six iron on to the green. 

While there was a further chance to increase the pressure on the leader heading to the final hole, Hatton's 24-foot birdie putt came up inches short on the 17th, before Rahm's par putt dropped from under five feet.

In the aftermath of his victory Rahm opened up about the personal challenges he has faced in recent months, admitting that he had faced mental battles and dealt with considerable noise surrounding his career.

"After everything that’s gone on and some poor play and some battles mentally, right, with a lot of noise, to come back out after a little bit of rest, after having a new one in addition to the family, it’s quite special," Rahm said during his post-round interview.

"It’s been quite a while since I played good in a DP World Tour event, and in my last showing, if we don’t count the withdrawals, I think I finished last,” he said. “So from last to first, it’s a pretty good feeling."

The win was Rahm’s 11th on the DP World Tour, but his first in four years.

He openly admitted that when he arrived in Abu Dhabi he did not expect to contend. He said: "I didn’t think I was ever going to have a chance to win it. Very excited. Actually, it gives me a little extra incentive for next week."

And so he should be - he has previously won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship three times.

About the author

Derek Clements is a vastly experienced sports journalist and regular Golfshake contributor, specialising in tour coverage, opinion pieces, and feature writing. With a long career in national newspapers and golf media, he has reported on the game across Europe, the United States and Australia. A passionate golfer, he has played and reviewed numerous renowned courses, with personal favourites including Pebble Beach, Kingsbarns, Aldeburgh, Old Thorns and the K Club. His love of the game informs his thoughtful commentary on both professional golf and the wider golfing community.

DC
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