In a year when tour golf has hurtled toward ever-narrower definitions of elitism, England’s Paul Waring landed a punch for the Everyman with victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links in the United Arab Emirates.
In the first of two playoff events which close out the 2024 DP World Tour season, the result was comfortably the greatest of the 39-year-old’s career, eclipsing his only other victory at this level: the 2018 Nordea Masters.
Waring, a Dubai resident, was the 2005 English Amateur champion, but his professional career has been peppered with injury problems. His most recent participation in the major championships has been with microphone in hand for BBC radio, commentating on the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry.
On this Sunday, however, he left that high-class quartet in his wake.
Waring had carded a course-record 61 in the second round to claim a five-shot lead heading into the weekend. His advantage shrank to just one stroke following a third-round 73, and many expected he would continue to backtrack on Sunday.
Europe’s finest golfers did test his resolve. Hatton thrashed a 64 to set a clubhouse target of 22-under that eventually would be worth solo second. McIlroy matched that 64 to finish in a share of third on 21-under with Matt Wallace (63) and Thorbjørn Olesen (66). Fleetwood and Lowry challenged before drifting backwards late in their rounds.
“It’s going to be a long way to travel, a long commute over to America, but I’m looking forward to that. It’s a new challenge. I’m absolutely made up.”
Paul Waring
In contrast, Waring stood firm. He was 4-under through 10 holes to remain clear of the chasers before Hatton caught him at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie-birdie finish at 17 and 18. Waring’s response? He matched the runner-up’s two closing par-breakers to complete a final-round 66 and a 24-under total of 264.
The result was not only a career-best but also vaulted him to fifth in the Race to Dubai and should secure a 2025 PGA Tour card as one of the top 10 in the standings. He also will have clubs rather than microphone in hand at Royal Portrush in next year’s Open. Out of nowhere he has scuttled across the drawbridge as the game’s elite prepare to lift it.
“I was quite happy living in Dubai, to be honest with you,” Waring said jokingly afterward. “It’s going to be a long way to travel, a long commute over to America, but I’m looking forward to that. It’s a new challenge. I’m absolutely made up.”
Three putts late in the day determined his fate. The first was a nasty par-saver on 15. “It was such a solid putt,” he said. “It gave me so much confidence coming in that if I just keep hitting putts like that, I’ll be fine.”
The second was the 40-foot birdie conversion at 17: “As soon as it left the blade, I knew it was in. Big, big moment.”
The third and final one was from 11 feet at the last: “I’ll be honest: Legs were shaking a little bit over that last putt. Great to roll that in as well.
“I’m a bit taken aback right now,” he said. “To keep control of myself in the way that I did today, I’m really proud of myself.”
With his T3 finish, McIlroy consolidated his lead in the Race to Dubai, which will conclude in next week’s seasonal finale, the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Estates in Dubai. He holds a significant advantage over his nearest challenger, South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence, and a fine record on the Earth Course – it will take something exceptional to stop him winning a sixth DP World Tour end-of-year rankings title.
Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard will not, however, be in Dubai to defend the DP World Tour Championship. He finished in a share of 13th in Abu Dhabi but it left him only 59th in the rankings and outside the cutoff for next week’s field.
Matt Cooper