Aaron Rai upsets Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood to brush off tournament snub and claim play-off victory in Abu Dhabi

Far from gathering cobwebs or resentments during an eight-week absence, Aaron Rai's performance in winning in Abu Dhabi on Sunday would suggest he channelled his Ryder Cup snub into a breathtaking return.

The 30-year-old from Wolverhampton had not contested a tournament since September and, were it not in his sedate nature, might have nurtured some lingering frustrations about his omission from Luke Donald's European side for Bethpage Black.

Instead, he resurfaced at the penultimate event of the DP World Tour season and withstood both a final-day surge from Rory McIlroy and the furnace of a play-off against Tommy Fleetwood to win his first title in 15 months. He beat Fleetwood on the first extra hole.

'It is hard to sum up,' said Rai. 'I was so focused on playing the round and trying to stay in the zone so it is hard to put into words how this feels. But it is amazing to be stood here. Tommy is a phenomenal player and even better person, which says a lot. It is amazing.'

As was the dash to the line in this birdie-fest at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, which was illuminated by a stunning charge from McIlroy.

A slightly plodding figure for much of the week by his standards, the world No 2 suddenly ignited with an astonishing round of 62 – his lowest ever on the DP World Tour and enough to set the clubhouse lead at 24 under par. If anything would inspire nerves in the leading groups, it would be that kind of charge from McIlroy.

But Fleetwood and Rai did not buckle. Reaching 25 under par after rounds of 66 and 67 respectively, they headed for a repeat of the scenario from the 2020 Scottish Open, when Rai claimed his most recent DP World Tour title by beating Fleetwood in a play-off.

In the first extra hole of this rematch, Fleetwood missed his birdie chance at the par-five 18th from 11 feet and Rai, the world No 30, drained from fractionally closer to claim the victory. Rai had earlier trailed by Fleetwood by one after uncharacteristically missing a three-footer at the 14th, but forced himself back into a share of the lead with two birdies in the final three holes.

For Fleetwood, any disappointment at finishing runner-up will be balanced by knowing he is in the form of his life. Having finally won on the PGA Tour 11 weeks ago, the world No 5 went on to win again in India last month, which in turn followed his fireworks at the Ryder Cup, where he was Europe's leading points scorer.

With one tournament remaining on the DP schedule, their Tour Championship in Dubai next week, McIlroy looks set to win his seventh Race to Dubai crown for the seasonal rankings. Marco Penge, the big-hitting and fast-rising Englishman, would need to finish in the top two at the very least to stand a chance of overhauling McIlroy's sizeable lead in what was once known as the Order of Merit standings.