Rahm returns from absence to claim Abu Dhabi title

ABU DHABI (AFP) -- Jon Rahm completed a winning return to the European tour as he held off Tyrrell Hatton by two strokes Sunday to win the Abu Dhabi Championship.

The Spaniard was playing in his first event on the DP World Tour since leaving the bankrupt LIV Golf tour last month.

"It means a lot," Rahm, who turns 32 on Tuesday, said. "I'm almost not letting myself believe it because it's been quite a while since I played good in a DP World Tour event and my last showing, if we don't count withdrawals, I think I finished last.

"So last to first, it's a pretty good feeling."

Rahm started the day one shot ahead of Englishman Hatton and Italian Francesco Laporta, with Rory McIlroy another shot back.

Rahm had three birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine. After a bogey on the third, he did not drop another stroke, though he had a scare.

"As far as I'm concerned, apart from the tee-shot at 17 it was a pretty flawless back nine. It was really, really solid," he said.

"After everything that's gone on and some poor play, battles mentally with the noise, to come back out after a little bit of rest and having a new addition to the family, it's special," said Rahm, who announced the birth of his fourth child in October.

After briefly surrendering the lead when McIlroy started with a birdie and an eagle, Rahm regained it on the third hole and never relinquished it, though he had to share it for a while.

He was in a four-way tie with Laporta, McIlroy and Hatton as late as the 11th hole.

Laporta dropped three shots over the next two holes, and Rahm pulled clear with birdies on the 12th and 15th for a final-round 67 and a 23-under-par total of 265.

Hatton shot a 68 to finish two shots back and seal his place at next week's DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

McIlroy finished two shots further back to rise to second in the DP World Tour rankings, behind Eugenio Chacarra, who finished 22nd, in his bid for a record-tying eighth Harry Vardon Trophy, the traditional award for the top player on the European tour.