In this week’s “The Starter,” PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, gives his thoughts on the week that was in golf for R.org. Ben Griffin’s third win of the season in Mexico. Aaron Rai’s playoff heroics in Abu Dhabi. Nasa Hataoka claiming victory in a weather-shortened TOTO Japan Classic. A week where champions emerged under pressure and the season’s final chapters began taking shape.

PGA TOUR: Griffin Joins Elite Company in Los Cabos

Three Wins and a Wedding

Ben Griffin rolled in three long birdie putts on the back nine Sunday and closed with a 9-under 63 to win the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal at Diamante. The victory gives him three PGA TOUR titles this season, joining Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy as the only players with at least three wins.

The 29-year-old two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th to finish at 29-under 259, two shots clear of the field. That 259 set a tournament record, breaking the previous low of 261 shared by Erik van Rooyen (2023), Russell Henley (2022), and Viktor Hovland (2021).

“After making a few birdies early, I kind of pushed myself a little bit harder than the past few weeks when I was in contention to kind of keep the pedal down,” Griffin said. “Fortunately, the putter heated up, made a lot of putts on the back nine. It was fun feeling the nerves down the stretch, trying to hold things off. It was nice to make a couple down the stretch.”

Griffin’s season now includes wins at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (with partner) and the Charles Schwab Challenge. He moves to a career-best No. 9 in the world ranking, up from No. 12 entering the week.

And his year isn’t finished. He’s getting married next month to Dana Myeroff.

“Crazy, three wins and getting married in the same year, hard to beat,” Griffin said.

The Back Nine Surge

Griffin started his charge at the par-3 11th, draining a 40-foot putt to tie the lead. He followed with a 25-foot birdie on the 12th to take his first lead of the day. Another 25-footer on the par-3 16th all but sealed it. He made birdie on all four par 3s during his final round.

The run of five straight birdies starting at No. 8 came at the perfect time. Garrick Higgo and Carson Young shared the lead heading to the back nine, but both faltered under pressure.

Higgo’s tee shot on the 12th found a bush, forcing him to take an unplayable lie penalty. The resulting double bogey ended his chances. He shot 68 and finished three behind at 26-under.

Young made a 15-foot birdie on the 12th to tie Griffin at 27-under. Then his approach on the 13th went left, across a cart path, and into the native area. Bogey. He hit a pedestrian pitch on the par-5 14th, then three-putted for bogey on the 15th. He shot 68 and tied for sixth.

Griffin had no such issues aside from a three-putt bogey on the fifth hole. He was rock solid from there.

FedExCup Fall Implications

Chad Ramey and Sami Valimaki tied for second at 27-under, and both picked up crucial consolation prizes in the race for 2026 playing privileges.

Valimaki started the week at No. 103 in the FedExCup Fall standings and moved to No. 76, all but assuring a full card for next year. Ramey went from No. 123 to No. 89 and is likely safe to keep his card.

“These last three tournaments, only goal was to kind of keep the playing rights for the next year, so I think they should be a done deal with this finish,” Valimaki said.

Two tournaments remain before the top 100 in the FedExCup keep full status for 2026. Tom Kim dropped from No. 96 to No. 102. Adam Scott fell from No. 100 to No. 103.

DP World Tour: Rai Denies Fleetwood in Abu Dhabi Thriller

The Playoff That Decided Everything

Aaron Rai overcame a shocking short miss and produced late fireworks to defeat Tommy Fleetwood on the first playoff hole at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The 30-year-old Englishman rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to claim his third DP World Tour title and second Rolex Series crown.

Rai closed with a 5-under 67 at Yas Links, making seven birdies and two bogeys to reach 25-under 263. Fleetwood posted a bogey-free 66 featuring an eagle and four birdies to force the playoff.

“It’s hard to sum up,” said Rai, who embraced his father, Amrik, after clinching victory. “I think you’re just so focused on playing the round and obviously just trying to stay in your zone. It’s hard to put into words at the moment how this feels or how I’m going to reflect on it.”

The victory came five years and 36 days after his last DP World Tour win at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, where he also defeated Fleetwood. Rai won the Wyndham Championship on the PGA TOUR in August 2024 for his first American title.

The Roller-Coaster Final Round

Rai started the day with a one-shot lead but soon found himself two shots back following a fast start from playing partner Fleetwood. A run of four successive birdies on the front nine returned him to the top before Fleetwood regained control.

Then came the 14th hole. Rai’s 3-foot par putt spun hard out of the cup. He fell out of the lead. He had to scramble for par on the 15th, making a 6-foot putt.

“Because it was a little bit of a shock to the system really, on the 14th, missing a short putt there,” Rai said. “My caddie Jason (Timmis), was great, just telling me to stay present and just focusing on playing the next shots and trying to finish strong. Made a really good up-and-down on the 15th which really helped.”

Rai hit a 5-iron to 8 feet on the 16th for birdie to stay within one shot of Fleetwood, who holed a 15-foot birdie. Rai made from 18 feet on the par-3 17th to reach 25-under, and Fleetwood had to make his 15-foot putt for par to stay tied.

Both narrowly missed birdie chances in regulation on the par-5 18th. The playoff became a pitch-and-putt contest as neither had the length to reach the 616-yard hole in two shots. Fleetwood’s birdie chance missed to the right. Rai converted.

“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.”

McIlroy’s Charge Falls Short

Rory McIlroy started the back nine at Yas Links with five straight birdies and closed with a 62, matching his low score on the DP World Tour. He made an eagle and eight birdies but wound up one shot behind, tied for third with Nicolai Højgaard of Denmark.

Højgaard just missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole that would have joined the playoff. He closed with a 66.

Daniel Hillier and Richard Mansell finished two shots further back at 22-under.

Fleetwood was aiming for a third title worldwide, in what has already been a memorable season that included a 4-1 record on Europe’s Ryder Cup-winning team. The runner-up finish marks his sixth career second-place showing.

Race to Dubai Takes Shape

Rai came into the week at No. 55 in the Race to Dubai, and the victory moved him to No. 9, securing his spot in next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He could move as high as 23rd in the Official World Golf Ranking, up from 30th. His highest previous ranking is 20th, which he first reached in September 2024.

“I think it will be a pretty quick turnaround,” Rai said. “It will be nice to just reflect and enjoy this over the next few hours. I’ll get there on Tuesday and try to get into as normal a routine as I can. I’m sure things will be a little bit different on the back of a week like this, which is great, but hopefully I’ll get some good preparation. I haven’t played the course in probably five years. It will be nice to see how it’s playing and what it’s like.”

McIlroy, the defending champion next week, expanded his lead in the Race to Dubai with his runner-up finish. He now leads Marco Penge of England by 767 points, up from 441 entering the week. With 2,000 points awarded to the winner in Dubai, it’s still all to play for.

“I just tried to keep my foot down and make as many birdies as possible knowing that, OK, I’m trying to win this tournament but also give myself the biggest cushion possible going into Dubai next week, as well,” McIlroy said. “I really like that golf course. It really suits me. Probably suits me a little bit better than this course does this week, just in terms of what you need to do off the tee and into the greens.”

McIlroy is chasing his seventh Harry Vardon Trophy as Europe’s No. 1, which would put him one behind Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight. He has finished at the top of the Rankings six times in all.

LPGA Tour: Hataoka Prevails in Weather-Shortened Japan Classic

Rain Forces 54-Hole Finish

Nasa Hataoka won a playoff Sunday to take the LPGA’s TOTO Japan Classic after the final 18 holes were washed out by all-day rain and what officials termed “unplayable course conditions.”

Hataoka and fellow Japanese golfer Yuna Araki shared the lead on Saturday after 54 holes at 15-under 201 at the Seta Golf Club in western Japan. After rain wiped out regulation play on Sunday, Hataoka prevailed on the first playoff hole to claim the title in an improvised finish and break the tie.

It was her seventh title on the LPGA Tour.

The decision to cancel Round 4 came after officials assessed the golf course and discussed conditions with the golf course superintendent. The forecast called for continuous rain, at times heavy. Official points and official money were distributed based on the 54-hole results, with the playoff conducted on Hole 18 once the course was deemed playable for that purpose.

Hataoka’s Consistent Performance

Hataoka shared the lead in each of the first three rounds, with different golfers each time. The consistency under pressure proved decisive when the tournament was shortened.

Miyu Yamashita, who won the Maybank Championship in Malaysia the previous week, carded a 68 on Saturday and finished one stroke behind after 54 holes. The 24-year-old’s attempt at back-to-back victories fell just short, but her two-win season remains one of the tour’s breakthrough stories.

The Week Ahead

Griffin’s 63 in Mexico required the kind of putting performance that separates good weeks from great ones. Rai’s resilience after the shocking miss on the 14th hole tells you everything about mental toughness. Hataoka’s consistency through three rounds put her in position when Mother Nature intervened.

The DP World Tour concludes next week in Dubai with McIlroy holding a 767-point lead over Penge. The PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Fall continues with two events remaining to determine the top 100. Thursday’s “Playing Through” will cover the PGA TOUR’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, and the LPGA’s The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge as seasons start to wind down to their conclusions.