Jon Rahm Surges Into One-Shot Lead at Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship

• Jon Rahm shot a 66 to lead the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.
• Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta are one shot back at Yas Links.
• Rory McIlroy is alone in fourth  after a 67.

Jon Rahm went birdie-eagle-birdie from the 10th at Yas Links on Saturday and signed for a 66 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

The Spaniard, making his Abu Dhabi debut, started the day tied with Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta on 12-under. The same trio will make up the final group again on Sunday.

How did Rahm pull clear?

His round was slow to get going, and the 4th, 5th and 6th cost him a shot. A birdie at the 10th was followed by a 24-foot eagle putt at the 11th, and another birdie at the 12th took him to 17-under on his own.

Hatton and McIlroy both caught him there, but a birdie at the 15th put Rahm back in front and he parred his way in.

“It was a good day overall,” Rahm said. “Just holes 4, 5, and 6 got away from me for a second. A couple of bad swings, one bogey and I was able to minimise the other two. From then on, I played some decent golf, I would say all day, except those three holes.”

Rahm and Hatton both have five Rolex Series titles. Hatton drew level with the Spaniard at the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic, so Sunday’s winner, if it is either of them, sets a new record of six.

“It would be amazing [to win],” said Rahm. “It’s been a good year so far, but to win again on the DP World Tour would be special. To add to the Rolex Series tally and make it six would be fantastic as well.”

Jon Rahm eagles the 11th and joins the lead 💪

#AbuDhabiChamps | #RolexSeries https://t.co/2uB3lm2UJN

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 7, 2026

Hatton and Laporta stay in touch

Laporta birdied his first two holes and nearly aced the par-3 4th, tapping in for another. Hatton answered with a birdie at the 1st, an approach from the rough that set up a second gain, and a third at the 6th to join the Italian on 15-under.

Matthew Jordan made it a three-way tie with birdies at the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th before he and Hatton both bogeyed the 8th. Hatton recovered with three birdies in four holes up to the 14th, and Laporta’s birdie at the 16th brought him level on 17-under.

Laporta arrived 57th in the Race to Dubai Rankingss, and only the top 50 go on to the DP World Tour Championship next week.

McIlroy bounces back

McIlroy birdied the 2nd and closed his front nine with three in a row to reach 15-under, then ran through the back of the 10th green and made a double bogey. He replied with four straight birdies from the 11th, including driving the green at the par-4 14th, to share the lead before a poor bunker shot at the par-3 17th cost him a shot.

Adam Scott, who has yet to drop a shot at Yas Links this week, made six birdies to reach 15-under. Spain’s David Puig, with six birdies and two bogeys, is on 14-under alongside Jordan.

“I can play a clean round of golf tomorrow, I won’t be too far away.

Rory McIlroy reflects on his third round of 67 (-5), heading into the final round with big goals for going low 🎙️

“I played some really good golf out there but also a little rueful. I felt like I had some really good momentum coming off the back of the front nine. Just the bunker shot came out a lot faster than I anticipated, and then over the green and it was sort of dead from there. I followed another poor shot with another mistake at the third and ended up making a mess and made double.

“But fought back and made birdies on the next four holes. So it was a good bounce back, and let it go at the end with the bogey on 17 and not taking advantage at the last. Overall, good day. Kept myself within touching distance and I have a good shot at it tomorrow, which is all I want.

“If I can just limit the mistakes, there’s enough good golf. There’s enough birdies. There’s enough opportunities. I can play a clean round of golf tomorrow, I won’t be too far away.

“I’m going to have to go out and shoot a low one, something in the mid to low 60s to get it done tomorrow, and that will be the goal.”

#AbuDhabiChamps | #RolexSeries

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 7, 2026

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