Paul Waring clinched his second DP World Tour victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, finishing with a bogey-free six-under-par 66. The 39-year-old English golfer, who resides in Dubai, birdied the final two holes to secure a two-shot win over Tyrrell Hatton, who also birdied his last two holes in a valiant effort. Waring's decisive moment came on the par-3 17th hole, where he sank a 41-foot birdie putt, followed by a brilliant three-wood shot on the 18th to seal his win.
With a final score of 24-under-par, Waring finished ahead of Hatton (64), while world No. 3 Rory McIlroy (64) tied for third at 21-under, alongside Matt Wallace (63) and Thorbjoern Olesen (66). McIlroy fell short of securing the Order of Merit crown, needing a second-place finish to guarantee the title before next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Waring, who set a new DP World Tour 36-hole scoring record of 19-under with a course-record 61 on Friday, began the final day with a one-shot lead over Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard Moller. Despite the birdie barrage from his competitors, Waring held steady, making critical pars and extending his lead on the back nine. His clutch putt on the 17th hole, which he and caddie Alex Evans had confidently read, was a key turning point in the round.
This victory marks Waring’s first win since the 2018 Nordea Masters, and it comes nearly six years later. The triumph earned him $1.53 million and will propel him to 101st in the world rankings. With his win, Waring also moved up to fifth in the Race to Dubai standings, putting him in contention for a potential PGA Tour card. McIlroy, despite his own strong play, is focused on his final push at next week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where only the top 50 players will qualify for the season finale.
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