Jon Rahm has climbed nine places to sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking after winning the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, completing a remarkable return to the top of the sport in his first start since LIV Golf collapsed.

The updated rankings, published on Monday, 10 November 2026, put the Spaniard at No. 6, up from 15th a week earlier. It is his highest position in the rankings since May 2024, and a striking turnaround for a player who finished 2025 ranked 84th in the world.

Abu Dhabi win drives the nine-place jump

Rahm claimed the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship title at Yas Links on Sunday, carding four rounds in the 60s to finish at 23 under par. He beat former LIV Golf playing partner Tyrrell Hatton by two shots, with Rory McIlroy a further two shots back in third.

Three birdies on the back nine of the final round powered Rahm to the winner's circle after he had turned on Sunday tied with three other players. A six-iron approach to two feet at the 15th hole proved the turning point of the final round, and he closed with a five-under 67 to seal the title.

The victory was Rahm's 11th on the DP World Tour and a record sixth Rolex Series title, moving him clear as the most successful player in the history of the tour's premium events. McIlroy, who was docked two strokes during Thursday's opening round for improving his lie, finished at 19 under after a closing 69.

From last to first after seven weeks away

The win came in Rahm's first competitive event in seven weeks and his first since LIV Golf officially ended. He had missed the cut at his previous DP World Tour start, the BMW PGA Championship in September, in what ended up being the worst finish of his professional career, and he also missed the cut at the US Open and had to miss the Open de Espana, where he is a three-time winner, because of the impending birth of his fourth child last month.

Speaking on the 18th green after the win, Rahm said it had been quite a while since he had played well in a DP World Tour event and that he was still in a bit of disbelief. He described the turnaround as going from last to first, calling it a pretty good feeling after everything that had gone on, with poor play, battles mentally and a lot of noise, before coming back out after a little rest and a new addition to the family.

He finished second at the US PGA Championship earlier in the year, and he believes that outside of the majors it has been another good year, with the Abu Dhabi win now lifting him back to sixth in the world rankings. He admitted his weaker weeks had come in the majors, apart from the PGA Championship, where he had a decent chance of winning.

Scheffler stays clear at the top

Scottie Scheffler remains a long way clear at the top of the rankings, with McIlroy second and England's Matt Fitzpatrick third. Cameron Young is fourth and Wyndham Clark fifth, ahead of Rahm in sixth. Hatton, meanwhile, jumped five spots to No. 23 after his runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi.

Rahm's rise has also been helped by LIV Golf results now feeding into the official ranking system, which shapes eligibility for the majors and the sport's biggest events. The rankings are calculated from points earned over a rolling two-year period, with points holding their full value for 13 weeks before being reduced in equal decrements.

Race to Dubai suddenly alive

The Abu Dhabi victory has also transformed Rahm's season on the DP World Tour. He arrived at Yas Links 51st in the Race to Dubai standings and facing a battle just to reach the season finale. He now sits sixth, with 2,525.45 points, and another win at the DP World Tour Championship, which starts on Thursday at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, could see him crowned European No. 1 for a second time.

To take the title he would need to win the season-ending event and hope current leader Eugenio Chacarra finishes outside the top eight. Rahm has a strong record on the Earth Course in Dubai, with three wins and two other top-five finishes in five appearances, and he said he did not think even winning last week would give him a chance of winning the Race to Dubai at all, which gives this week a little more meaning.

He added that a second Race to Dubai crown would mean a great deal, and would be a step towards getting closer to what Seve Ballesteros was able to achieve, with the Spaniard's haul of six Harry Vardon Trophies in his sights.