The field brings together the leading 70 available players in the Race to Dubai. After Abu Dhabi, the top 50 advance to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai the following week. Rahm’s confirmation places him in the first of those two events; the next tournament still has its own qualification cutoff.
The UAE has already been a productive destination for Rahm. The DP World Tour credits him with ten tour victories, including five Rolex Series titles. Three of those came at the DP World Tour Championship in 2017, 2019 and 2022. He also won the Irish Open in 2017 and 2019.
Rahm said in the tour’s announcement that he was looking forward to experiencing Yas Links for the first time after some of his best career weeks elsewhere in the UAE. His previous success in Dubai therefore comes with a new tournament setting in Abu Dhabi.
Rory McIlroy and defending champion Aaron Rai are also in the announced field. Golf Channel’s Steve Coulter reported Monday that Rai won last year’s Abu Dhabi event in a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood.
The start also follows Rahm’s decision to leave LIV Golf. GOLF’s Kevin Cunningham reported Tuesday that Abu Dhabi is expected to be his first appearance since that departure. Rahm continued to compete on the DP World Tour during his LIV tenure, so this is a debut in the Abu Dhabi tournament rather than his first appearance on the European circuit.
Sources
DP World Tour: Rahm to make Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship debut · Rahm enters Abu Dhabi for first start since LIV departure · GOLF: Rahm set to make post-LIV return
