Daniel Hillier fifth in Abu Dhabi Championship as Aaron Rai denies Tommy Fleetwood another title in playoff
Monday, 10 November 2025
New Zealand golfer Daniel Hillier banked $620,000 and kept his PGA Tour dream alive with a fifth placing in the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday.
The 27-year-old from Wellington closed with a five-under-par round of 67 to finish the DP World Tour event three shots behind the winner Aaron Rai, who beat fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff.
Hillier’s 22-under total was two shots behind Rory McIlroy and Nicolai Hojgaard, and tied him for fifth with England’s Richard Mansell.
It saw Hillier move up three places to 17th on the DP World Tour season rankings ahead of the finale, the Tour Championship in Dubai starting on Thursday.
It means Hillier can potentially book a spot on the PGA Tour with another prominent finish. The top-10 on the DP World Tour rankings who are not already exempt receive a PGA Tour card for the following year, and as it stands Hillier has just two other golfers ahead of him.
Hillier was always among the leaders and was right in title contention before a double-bogey six on the 15th on Sunday. He got one back with a birdie on the next hole before closing with a bogey six on the 18th.
Compatriot Kazuma Kobori finished tied for 41st on 11-under. The 24-year-old from Canterbury shot a blistering opening round of eight-under 64, before rounds of 73, 69 and 71.
He slipped three spots to 41st on the tour rankings, still enough to qualify inside the top-50 for this week’s final tournament.
Rai defeated Fleetwood on the first playoff hole with a 10-foot birdie putt.
Rai returned from a two-month break to win for the first time this year and pick up his third European tour title — his first on the tour since defeating Fleetwood in the 2020 Scottish Open. He won the Wyndham Championship in August 2004 for his first PGA Tour title.
McIlroy started the back nine at Yas Links with five straight birdies and closed with a 62, matching his low score on the European tour. He wound up one shot behind, but expanded his lead in the Race to Dubai that concludes next week.
Fleetwood was aiming for a third title worldwide in what already has been a memorable season that included a 4-1 record in a winning Europe Ryder Cup team. He holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th and made a 15-foot par putt to stay tied with Rai on the 17th.
Both narrowly missed birdie chances in regulation on the par-5 18th. Fleetwood shot 66 to join Rai (67) on 25-under 263.
They finished one shot ahead of McIlroy and Hjogaard of Denmark, who just missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole to join the playoff. He closed with a 66.
“It’s hard to put into words how this feels,” Rai said. “It’s amazing to be here.”
– with AP