Jon Rahm took home $1,530,000 after sealing the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship title on Sunday at Yas Links, where he finished at 23-under par. He described his final round as a “flawless back nine” in a statement reported by Today’s Golfer. His performance on the back nine pushed him two shots clear of his former LIV Golf teammate, Tyrrell Hatton.
The Money Spreads Fast Down the Field
The $9 million total purse was split among 70 players, but the top spots got the bulk of the cash. Hatton finished second and banked $990,000. Rory McIlroy rounded out the top three with a score of 19-under par, taking home $563,400. Francesco Laporta took fourth place with $450,000. The gap between first and second was huge, but the drop-off after that was steep. David Puig and Angel Ayora tied for fifth, splitting the remaining top-tier cash. Per Today’s Golfer, the field now shrinks from 70 to 50 for the next event.
Playoffs Are Just Getting Started
Two DP World Tour Playoffs took place in the Middle East, with this tournament serving as the inaugural event. The stakes are high for the Race to Dubai rankings. Before next week’s DP World Tour Championship, the leading 70 players in the rankings will be reduced to 50. That next event takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates. According to Yahoo Sports, the forthcoming championship features a $10 million purse, awarding $3 million to the victor. Rahm’s last win on the DP World Tour was the 2022 Championship, making this return to the top of the leaderboard a significant statement.
