Rahm wins Abu Dhabi title with $1.5M purse after LIV split

Jon Rahm collected a $1.5 million winner's check on Sunday after shooting a 5-under 67 at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. The Spaniard finished 23-under par for the week to claim the Abu Dhabi Championship, his first victory on the European Tour regular circuit in four years. This win caps a seven-week break that allowed him to welcome his fourth child and finalize his departure from LIV Golf.

Rahm held off two Ryder Cup teammates in a tight final round. Tyrrell Hatton finished second with a 68, two strokes back, while Rory McIlroy placed third with a 69. The trio, along with Francesco Laporta, were tied for the lead at 20-under early in the back nine. Rahm pulled ahead with three birdies over five holes starting at No. 11. He managed to keep the lead until the final hole, where he played it safe to make par on the par-5 18th.

Rahm credited his family and rest for his return to form. "After everything that's gone on," he said, "and some poor play and some battles mentally with a lot of noise, to come back out after a bit of rest and being with the family, it's quite special." His iron play this week resembled his peak performance levels from 2021 to 2023, a period that included two major championships and the world number one ranking.

McIlroy's third-place finish boosted his standing in the season-long Race to Dubai. He moved above Patrick Reed into second place, trailing only Eugenio Chacarra. McIlroy remains approximately 534 points behind the 26-year-old Spaniard with one event left. The World Tour Championship in Dubai begins Thursday and offers 2,000 points to the winner. McIlroy is attempting to match Colin Montgomerie's record of eight season titles. A two-shot penalty received on Thursday for a double-bogey six, which was recorded as an eight, hurt his chances earlier in the week.

Laporta, who was chasing his first title, fell out of contention after a triple-bogey on the short par-3 13th. The Italian shot a 72 to finish alone in fourth, six strokes behind Rahm. Hatton kept his card clean but could not make enough birdies to close the gap. The result of two former LIV players finishing one-two signals a potential shift as the breakaway circuit winds down operations.

Rahm also climbed to number six in the Race to Dubai standings. He noted that winning in Dubai next week would give him a mathematical chance to win the season-long race. "Actually gives me a little extra incentive next week," Rahm said. "I really didn't think I was going to have a chance. Those are better odds than I expected."

LIV Golf announced plans this week to wind down its operations, making Rahm's return to the established tours certain for the next season. McIlroy, despite his disappointment at not winning, expressed confidence in his performance. "It was a week where I had my chances," he said. "I would have loved to have won the tournament, but enough positive signs to feel good going into next week."