Paul Waring became a DP World Tour champion for just the second time in his career with a superb win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Waring ended the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on 24-under, seeing off a challenge from several established stars.
Tyrrell Hatton finished two shots behind in second, with Rory McIlroy, Matt Wallace and Thorbjorn Olesen tying for third on 21-under.
McIlroy rued poor Friday and Saturday finishes, although he did finish superbly at Yas Links with an eight-under 64.
Tommy Fleetwood meanwhile finished one shot behind that trio in tied-sixth, in what was the penultimate event of the 2024 DP World Tour season.
Paul Waring breaks two records at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Fleetwood equalled the Yas Links course record with his opening round 62, before being outshone by Waring in the next round, with the latter carding a course-record 11-under par 61.
But not only did he break the course record, Waring recorded the lowest 36-hole score to par in the DP World Tour’s history with his opening two rounds of 64 and 61 for 19-under, as per the DP World Tour website.
Paul Waring clinches PGA Tour playing card for the 2025 season
Waring stormed into a five-shot lead heading into the weekend of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the first of the two DP World Tour playoff events.
And while the world number 229’s lead was reduced in the end, he remained calm and composed throughout to secure a remarkable win.
But much of the attention will, of course, focus on his Yas Links record 61, which included nine birdies and an eagle.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy says what was ‘unbelievably lucky’ about his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship final round
The victory now brings fantastic rewards for Waring, who moved a huge 43 places to fifth in the Race to Dubai rankings.
More importantly, however, the Englishman has already secured a PGA Tour card for 2025 ahead of the DP World Tour Championship next week.
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