Paul Waring pulled off the biggest win of his life at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, and he made it look easy.
The 39-year-old Englishman shot a brilliant 6-under 66 in the final round, finishing at an impressive 24 under par for the tournament.
"It was quite an easy day really, wasn’t it?" Waring said with a smile. "It just means so much. To actually keep control of myself the way that I did today, I’m really proud of myself."
That’s quite a statement from the world’s 229th-ranked player, who started the day with just a one-shot lead.
Tyrrell Hatton made a serious run at the title, firing eight birdies in a spectacular 64, but finished two shots back. A trio of big names – Rory McIlroy, Thorbjorn Olesen, and Matt Wallace – shared third place, three shots behind Waring.
It’s only Waring’s second win in 332 tournaments on the DP World Tour, coming six years after his first victory at the Nordea Masters.
But this one was special. Really special.
Earlier in the week, Waring had already made history. His 19-under score through two rounds at Yas Links was the lowest 36-hole score to par ever recorded on the European tour.
The victory comes with some life-changing perks. He’s earned playing rights on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, plus a spot in next year’s Open Championship.
"I was quite happy living in Dubai to be honest with you," Waring said about his upcoming schedule changes. "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. Absolutely made up."
Meanwhile, McIlroy’s strong finish helped him maintain his commanding lead in the season-long Race to Dubai, with the DP World Tour Championship finale coming up next.
