Dubai-based Paul Waring held off a stellar chasing pack to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and claim his first Rolex Series title.

The Englishman displayed nerves of steel in his bogey-free closing 66 as he got to 24 under par and two shots ahead of four-time Rolex Series winner and current LIV Golfer Tyrrell Hatton, with Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy, England’s Matt Wallace and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen a shot further back.

Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

 

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Waring had taken control of the first event of the new DP World Tour Play-Offs with a course-record 61 at Yas Links on Friday but saw his five-shot halfway lead reduced to one as he posted a 73 a day later.

The 39-year-old, whose only previous DP World Tour title came at the Nordea Masters more than six years ago, made a fast start with two opening birdies and added two more at the seventh and 10th.

He responded to being caught by Hatton with a moment of magic as he converted from 40 feet at the 17th, before hitting a perfect drive at the last, running a three-wood through the back of the green and getting up and down to seal victory.

Victory for Waring catapults him up to fifth spot on the Race to Dubai Rankings, all but securing a PGA Tour card for next season.

McIlroy had the chance to make his lead in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex unassailable and was first to make an early charge as the four-time Major winner birdied four of his first six holes.

He bogied the fifth and added five more gains to sign for a 64, but the Race continues into the season-ending DP World Tour Championship after closest challenger Thriston Lawrence recorded two eagles and four birdies in his round of 64 to get to 20 under and a tie for sixth alongside two-time Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Tommy Fleetwood, and French pair Ugo Coussaud and Antoine Rozner.

The DP World Tour now heads one hour north, to the emirate of Dubai, for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeriah Golf Estates.

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