(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Last week at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the DP World Tour delivered a spectacular display of scoring, with Aaron Rai (Eng) clinching victory with a birdie on the first play-off hole-the 18th.

Records tumbled and eagles soared as Rai and Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) finished the tournament 25 under par, surpassing the previous benchmark of 24 under par set by Paul Waring and Martin Kaymer in 2011, when the event was held at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa.

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The championship, established in 2006 and moved to Yas Links in 2022, is now a Rolex Series event with a $9 million purse and serves as the first of two UAE events in the DP World Tour Play-offs.

The week's statistics were remarkable. Of the 72 players in the field, only three finished over par for the week, and just 27 of the 288 rounds played went over par. The first over-par round was Matthew Jordan's 73, who ultimately tied 15th at 18 under par.

Fleetwood's performance was particularly noteworthy: across four rounds, he recorded only one bogey, on the 15th hole of his second round-a feat rarely seen at this level.

At 7,425 yards, par 72, Yas Links tested the players not just with distance, but with demanding pin positions. While the wind remained minimal for most of the week, the pins were tucked into small pockets and close to green edges and runoff areas, challenging even the best. Locally, the course is regarded as long and tough, with its back tees providing a stern test of skill.

Course conditions were exceptional, thanks to Corey Finn and his agronomy team at Yas Links and VIYA Golf. Firm and fast fairways over the weekend, coupled with well-conditioned greens, encouraged low scoring and highlighted the design of Kyle Phillips' modern links layout.

A standout performance came from Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), who opened round three with an incredible eagle-eagle-birdie-birdie start, going six under after four holes. The front nine of 29 had commentators scrambling to check historical records, and it appears such a start is unprecedented. Despite cooling off with just two more birdies on the back nine and a bogey on the 18th, Hatton finished with an outstanding 64.

The best round of the week, however, belonged to Rory McIlroy (NI), who closed with a ten-under-par 62, including eight birdies and an eagle, to finish tied third. The only record that remained intact was the course record of 61 set by Paul Waring last year.

Watching the event live or on TV was thrilling, a reminder of how scoring can reach extraordinary levels when conditions and course design align. While such low scores are not sustainable every week, Yas Links demonstrated the excitement and unpredictability that make golf unique.

Looking ahead, the season-ending $10 million DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course promises another spectacle. After this week at Yas Links, anticipation is high for what the Tour's best can deliver next.

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