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The 30-year-old golfer displayed remarkable nerve to secure the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the final day, beating Tommy Fleetwood in a tense play-off following a topsy-turvy final round of competition.

Rai nailed a crucial birdie from around eight foot to clinch the win, echoing his sole prior tournament triumph at the Scottish Open in 2020, which was also a play-off victory against Fleetwood.

Sunday's Play Drama

The champion started the final round with a one-shot advantage over fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Danish golfer Nicolai Højgaard. He ended up with a overall score of 263 after a up-and-down, five-under closing round that featured seven birdies and two bogeys.

Fleetwood moved a stroke ahead with two holes to play after a birdie on the sixteenth, but Rai pulled level again on the seventeenth and then missed a 10-foot birdie putt to win outright on the last hole.

Playoff Decider

This led to a play-off at the Yas Links course where Rai triumphed to take the championship and $1.5 million (£1.13m) in winnings.

{“Tommy is a phenomenal player and an even more person. To compete alongside him the final two rounds was truly memorable,” stated Rai, the present world No 30. “You’re so focused on playing the round and maintaining focus, it’s difficult to describe at the present how it feels. It is amazing to be holding the trophy.”

Notable Performances

Rory McIlroy found himself just too much to do, coming up a stroke short in a tie for third with Højgaard, after a stunning 10-under closing round of ten-under. It was his best-ever score on the DP World Tour, including eight birdie putts and an eagle.

Højgaard carded six birdies of his own, but his chances of topping the standings were dented by a dropped shot on the twelfth. England’s Richard Mansell hit an superb final-round 63 to finish in a tie for fifth place with Australia’s Daniel Hillier.