Jon Rahm’s the man now heading to Dubai to celebrate his birthday after capturing the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship in the UAE capital.

Rahm posted a closing TBA

Victory is Rahm’s 25th triumph in the play-for-pay ranks and an all-important first since the demise earlier this week of LIV Golf, a body where the former World No. 1 won four times and was also runner-up four times.

Looking at his scorecards, Rahm birdied each of the opening dozen holes at some time or another on the host Yas Links layout but it was not dropping a shot over his closing four holes including birdies at 15, as he had done a day earlier, and also the last as he had done on both Thusday and Friday.

Rahm’s maiden Abu Dhabi success, and two days before his 32nd birthday, was certain virtually four holes from the finish when he proceeded to birdie the 15th and to be leading by two and with just three to play.  He then made certain of the victory

McIlroy got off to a flyer on the final day kick-starting his round with a 30-footer at the first and then holing a 16-yard eagle putt for a three at the next but after a bogey at three, he then birdied the fourth for a fourth day running ahead of the birdies at 10 and 11th to join four atop of the board.

But it was far as McIlroy would go finishing the closing seven holes in one-over.

Though there was one huge comfort for McIlroy and that is he’s gone to the top of the Race to Dubai money list some TBC ahead of Spaniard Engenio Chacarra who shared 22nd place at 11-under.

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