The guy with two gloves and iron covers just beat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff—for the second time.

Aaron Rai doesn’t look like anyone else on the DP World Tour. He wears two gloves—both hands, every shot, every round. He uses iron covers on his clubs, which is basically golf blasphemy to most players. He doesn’t have social media. He doesn’t have an agent. And Sunday in Abu Dhabi, he beat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff for the second time in their careers, sinking an 8-footer on the first extra hole to claim his third DP World Tour title. The 30-year-old Englishman finished at 25-under after a final-round 67, returning from a two-month break to win his first European tour title since—you guessed it—the 2020 Scottish Open, where he also beat Fleetwood in a playoff. But what makes Rai’s victory so compelling isn’t just the clutch golf. It’s the story behind the guy holding the putter.

Why Two Gloves and Iron Covers Matter

Rai’s father, Amrik, raised him in a working-class family where golf was an expensive luxury they couldn’t really afford. But his dad always made sure Aaron had the best equipment, even when it meant stretching the budget beyond reason. When Rai was seven years old, his father bought him a set of Titleist 690 MB irons—about 800-1,000 pounds for a kid’s clubs. “I cherished them,” Rai said in previous interviews. After every practice session, his father would meticulously clean every single groove with a safety pin and baby oil, then put iron covers on them to protect the investment. That ritual stuck with Rai through his entire career. Even now, with free equipment flowing from sponsors, he still uses iron covers. “It’s more out of principle,” he explained. “The value of not losing perspective of what I have and where I am. The covers are going to stay.” As for the two gloves? When Rai was eight, he was gifted a pair of MacWet gloves and got used to wearing both. One day his dad forgot to pack the second glove. “I had to play with one. It was terrible,” Rai recalled. “I couldn’t play, I couldn’t feel the grip, so I’ve always stuck with the two gloves ever since.” These aren’t just quirks—they’re reminders of where he came from and the sacrifices his family made.

The Miss That Almost Broke Him

Standing on the 14th green Sunday with a one-shot lead, Rai faced a routine 3-foot par putt. It spun hard out of the cup—a shocking miss that would haunt most players for the rest of the round. Fleetwood immediately capitalized, birdieing the 16th to take a one-shot lead with two holes to play. This was the moment that separates contenders from champions. Rai scrambled for par at 15, making a crucial 6-footer to stay alive. Then he struck a 5-iron to 8 feet at 16 for birdie, pulling back within one. The real dagger came at the par-3 17th, where he rolled in an 18-footer to reach 25-under, forcing Fleetwood to make his 15-foot par putt just to stay tied. Both players missed birdie attempts at the 616-yard par-5 18th in regulation, setting up the playoff that would decide everything. Neither had the length to reach the hole in two, turning it into a wedge game and a pure test of nerves. Fleetwood went first, his birdie chance sliding right. Rai stepped up and buried his 8-footer, tilted his head back in relief, then embraced his countryman in a moment of pure respect.

Fleetwood’s Nightmare Continues

Tommy Fleetwood is one of the best players in the world, fresh off a 4-1 record for the victorious European Ryder Cup team. He was chasing his third worldwide title of the season. But when it comes to Aaron Rai in playoffs, Fleetwood can’t catch a break. This is the second time Rai has beaten him head-to-head in sudden death, both times on the DP World Tour. After the loss, Fleetwood patted Rai warmly on the chest—a gesture that spoke volumes about their mutual respect. “Tommy is a phenomenal player,” Rai said. “He’s an even better person than he is a player, and that says a lot. To play with him the last two days and be out there with him was really special.” There’s no bitterness here, just two elite competitors pushing each other to their absolute limits. But you have to wonder if Fleetwood is starting to see Rai in his nightmares.

Rory’s Charge Falls Short

While Rai and Fleetwood battled, Rory McIlroy reminded everyone why he’s ranked No. 2 in the world. Starting the final round six shots back, McIlroy fired a bogey-free 62—tying his lowest round ever on the DP World Tour. He began his back nine with five straight birdies, four of them from 8 feet and in, clawing his way up the leaderboard in spectacular fashion. But his rally came up one shot short, finishing T-3 with Nicolai Hojgaard at 24-under. Despite missing the playoff, McIlroy expanded his lead in the Race to Dubai standings heading into next week’s season finale, where he’ll chase his seventh title as Europe’s No. 1—one shy of Colin Montgomerie’s record. “I just tried to keep my foot down and make as many birdies as possible,” McIlroy said, “knowing that I’m trying to win this tournament but also give myself the biggest cushion possible going into Dubai.”

The Bigger Picture

Rai’s victory launched him from No. 55 to No. 9 in the Race to Dubai, securing his spot in next week’s DP World Tour Championship. Only the top 50 qualify, and Rai made the jump in the most dramatic way possible. This was his first win since the Wyndham Championship in August 2024—his first PGA Tour title—ending a 14-month drought. His world ranking is expected to jump to No. 23, and he’s positioned himself as a legitimate contender heading into the season finale. But more than the rankings or the trophy or the prize money, this win represents something deeper. Aaron Rai is the guy who wears two gloves because his dad forgot to pack one that day years ago. He’s the guy who uses iron covers because his father taught him to cherish what he has. He’s the guy who doesn’t need social media or an agent or any of the modern trappings of professional golf. He just shows up, respects the game, and competes with ice in his veins when everything’s on the line. And when the moment called for it in Abu Dhabi, he delivered—again.