The Holywood golfer carded a final-round 69 to finish third on 19 under par, two shots behind runner-up Tyrrell Hatton and four adrift of winner Jon Rahm

Rory McIlroy could not find the back-nine birdies to keep pace with Jon Rahm in the final round of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

The Holywood golfer carded a final-round 69 to finish third on 19 under par, two shots behind runner-up Tyrrell Hatton and four adrift of winner Rahm.

The result leaves McIlroy second in the Race to Dubai rankings and with a great chance of claiming a record-equalling eighth Harry Vardon Trophy when he tees it up at next week's DP World Tour Championship.

McIlroy trails Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra by 534 points after the Spaniard finished tied for 22nd in Abu Dhabi.

Despite carding a quadruple bogey in his opening round and a double bogey in his third, McIlroy began the final day at Yas Links just two shots off the lead.

And the six-time major champion made a dream start, birdieing the first before holing a putt from off the green for an eagle at the par-five second.

McIlroy couldn't maintain that momentum, however, bogeying the third before dropping another shot at the sixth.

The Holywood man played his way back into contention with birdies at the seventh, 10th and 11th.

But his putter went cold thereafter, and a bogey at the par-four 15th effectively ended his hopes of victory.

There was some consolation for McIlroy, however, as he pocketed €507,025 for finishing third outright.

Rahm, meanwhile, underlined his class with a closing 67 to claim a record-breaking sixth Rolex Series title.

"It means a lot," Rahm said. "I'm almost not letting myself believe it because it's been a quite a while since I played good in a DP World Tour event and my last showing, if we don't count withdrawals, I think I finished last.

"So last to first, it's a pretty good feeling.

"As far as I'm concerned, apart from the tee-shot at 17 it was a pretty flawless back nine. It was really, really solid.

"I was never in danger of making a bogey except that one hole so a lot of them deserve a lot of credit, but definitely that second shot on 15, that six iron might be contender for shot of the year for me.

"After everything that's gone on and some poor play, battles mentally with the noise, to come back out after a little bit of rest and having a new addition to the family, it's special."

Rahm, who will also have a chance to claim the Race to Dubai title next week, collected the €1,368,163 winner's cheque.