Jon Rahm wasted little time reminding the golf world why he remains one of the game’s most formidable competitors.
Making his first competitive appearance since departing LIV Golf last month, the 31-year-old Spaniard captured the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on Sunday, closing with a 5-under-par 67 to finish at 23-under 265 and secure a two-stroke victory at Yas Links.
Former LIV Golf teammate Tyrrell Hatton finished runner-up at 21-under, while Rory McIlroy, who entered the final round just two strokes behind Rahm, settled for third at 19-under.
The victory marked Rahm’s 11th career DP World Tour title and a record-breaking sixth Rolex Series triumph, moving him ahead of Hatton as the most successful player in the history of the tour’s premier tournament series.
It was also a fitting conclusion to a remarkable week that came amid significant upheaval in professional golf, with LIV Golf officially winding down operations after four seasons.
Rahm Delivers Under Pressure
Rahm entered Sunday’s final round holding a one-shot advantage over Hatton and Italy’s Francesco Laporta, with McIlroy lurking another stroke behind.
What followed was a tightly contested final round in which four players shared the lead during the back nine.
McIlroy briefly threatened to seize control, but Rahm remained composed as his challengers began to falter.
The decisive moments came on the inward nine.
Rahm birdied the par-five 12th to move ahead as Laporta stumbled, then delivered one of the tournament’s finest shots at the par-four 15th, striking a brilliant six-iron approach from 184 yards to within two feet of the flagstick.
The resulting birdie restored his two-shot cushion over Hatton, and Rahm closed with three consecutive pars to secure the victory.
His final-round 67 featured six birdies against a single bogey, completing four consecutive rounds in the 60s.
For Rahm, the victory carried particular significance following a challenging period both professionally and personally.
“It means a lot,” Rahm said afterward, acknowledging the emotional weight of returning to the winner’s circle.
The Spaniard, who welcomed his fourth child in October, described the victory as a fresh beginning after enduring months of uncertainty surrounding his professional future.
A Historic Sixth Rolex Series Crown
Beyond the immediate significance of his return, Rahm’s victory added another impressive achievement to an already decorated career.
Entering Abu Dhabi, Rahm and Hatton shared the Rolex Series record with five victories apiece.
By defeating his former Legion XIII teammate, Rahm claimed sole possession of the record with six.
The triumph also represented his first DP World Tour victory since the 2023 Masters, which counts toward his European Tour career total. His most recent victory on the tour’s regular schedule had come at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship.
Rahm earned $1.53 million from the tournament’s $9 million purse, further strengthening his standing among the most accomplished European golfers of his generation.
LIV Golf’s Former Stars Make Their Presence Felt
The timing of Rahm’s victory was particularly noteworthy.
The PGA TOUR bootlickers spent 4 years insisting LIV ruined their games.
First event of post-LIV Golf era, Jon Rahm leads in Abu Dhabi w Hatton and Puig chasing.
Turns out the players weren’t washed up. The media was. 🤡 https://t.co/OFB6i98gbB
— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithGolf) November 7, 2026
Just days after LIV Golf’s demise became official, two of its most prominent former players occupied the top two positions at one of the DP World Tour’s flagship events.
Rahm and Hatton, teammates during their time with LIV’s Legion XIII, combined to finish first and second, while fellow former LIV competitors David Puig and Bernd Wiesberger shared fifth place.
The results offered a timely reminder that the end of LIV Golf as a commercial enterprise has done little to diminish the competitive abilities of the players who helped establish it.
For Rahm, whose playing future had become a prominent subject of debate following LIV’s collapse, the victory provided an emphatic answer on the golf course.
Race to Dubai Takes Shape
Rahm’s victory also introduced another intriguing storyline heading into next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The win propelled him from 51st to sixth in the Race to Dubai standings, giving him an outside opportunity to claim the season-long title.
PGA TOUR media spent all year writing Jon Rahm’s obituary.
In first start of post LIV era, Rahm wins in Abu Dhabi for a record 6th Rolex Series title, jumps to No.7 in world rankings.
Imagine how good he’d be if LIV Golf hadn’t “ruined” him. 😂 https://t.co/pPSjjAIPUz
— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithGolf) November 8, 2026
Eugenio Chacarra retained the top position despite finishing tied for 22nd in Abu Dhabi, while McIlroy’s third-place finish moved him into second, ahead of Patrick Reed.
McIlroy is pursuing a record-equalling eighth European Tour Order of Merit title, which would bring him level with Colin Montgomerie.
Rahm, meanwhile, will enter the finale needing another victory and considerable help elsewhere on the leaderboard to complete an unlikely comeback in the season-long race.
For now, the two-time major champion has already accomplished something significant.
In his first tournament after leaving LIV Golf, Rahm didn’t merely return to the DP World Tour.
He returned to the winner’s circle — and made history in the process.
