Paul Waring kept his cool amid fierce competition to capture the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, marking his first Rolex Series victory.
In a bogey-free final round of 66, Waring ended at 24 under par, two shots clear of four-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hatton.
Hot on his heels were Race to Dubai frontrunner Rory McIlroy, England’s Matt Wallace, and Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen, each just one stroke behind Hatton.
The Englishman, who set a Yas Links course record of 61 on Friday, saw his five-shot lead narrow to a single stroke after a tricky 73 on Saturday.
But on Sunday, the 39-year-old looked unflappable. He launched his round with two birdies, adding two more on the seventh and tenth holes, keeping his position firm at the top.
The pressure mounted as Hatton drew level, but Waring delivered a masterstroke: a 40-foot putt on the 17th, followed by a perfect drive and a three-wood to the back of the green on the last hole, allowing him to get up and down to secure the win.
Paul Waring: It just hasn’t sunk in yet. Obviously I still think I’ve got to go and do something else or got to go play another hole or something because I kind of never let myself think that I was over the line at any point. I always knew there was a job to be done and work to be done as I was playing.
That was massive (on the 17th). Me and my caddie, we had a look at the lines, to be fair, we really fancied it, really, really fancied it, and as soon as it left the blade, I knew it was in. I know that sounds a bit cocky or whatever, but it was so pure. I knew it was dead middle as soon as I hit it, and I was just absolutely buzzing to see that go.
It’s my second win. I’ve been knocking on the door a few times. I had a few seconds. I’ve been in and around a few times.
To get over the line again is fantastic, and to control it the way I have as well, especially today. I thought I might have let it slip yesterday.
But to keep a lead yesterday the way I was playing, I knew I wouldn’t have two days in a row playing like that, and today I always felt — I felt like I had another gear that I needed. I was hitting into the middle of a lot of greens. Not taking too much on.
I’ll be looking forward to next week, actually. It’s my home course now. Got a lot of really good friends there. I can’t wait to see them all, at least tonight. I’ll have a lot of support and there will be a real buzz around the place and I can’t wait for next week now.
McIlroy, with the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex on the line, made an early surge, birdieing four of his first six holes.
Though he bogeyed the fifth, he recovered with five more birdies, wrapping up a 64.
Despite his strong finish, the Race heads to the DP World Tour Championship after Thriston Lawrence tied for sixth with a 64, including two eagles and four birdies.
Rory McIlroy: I do feel in a good position. I saw Thriston making a charge today, and I was keeping one eye on the leaderboard and looking at what he was doing. I saw he posted 20.
Obviously I wanted to birdie the last, anyway, but I know that birdie, even if it isn’t to win the tournament this week, it obviously gives me that little bit extra of a cushion going into next week.
Every shot counts at this moment in time, and I was glad to make the four at the last and at least give myself half a chance at this tournament this week but also give myself a little bit more of a cushion going into Dubai next week as well.
Joining him were two-time Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship victor Tommy Fleetwood, and French players Ugo Coussaud and Antoine Rozner.
