Paul Waring wins in Abu Dhabi with Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy ...
Rory McIlroy extended his lead over Thirston Lawrence but will have to wait until next week to secure his sixth Race to Dubai.
As Shane Lowry bogeyed three of his last five holes and again failed to finish in the top 10 in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship despite going out in the final group for the third year in a row, McIlroy finished tied for third on 21 under thanks to a sensational closing 64.
England’s Paul Waring held off all comers, finishing with two birdies for a 66 and a two-shot win over Tyrell Hatton, who shot 64, on 24-under.
It was a particularly tough finish for Lowry, who was six under for the day and just a shot behind Waring with six holes to play having started the day three behind.
But he missed a seven-footer for birdie at the short 13th and followed a dropped shot at the 14th with poor bogeys at the last two holes.
A 69 left Lowry tied for 13th on 18-under, but his seventh top 13 finish in a row will sting as a chance to win his first individual title since the 2023 BMW PGA slipped away.
Tom McKibbin made a run on the final day, carding a sensational eight-under 64 to finish tied for 10th on 19-under.
But while it was his tenth top-10 this season, he was projected to fall from 17th to 18th in the Race to Dubai and further behind in the race ten PGA Tour cards with one event to go.
As for McIlroy, he was pleased to extend his lead in the Race to Dubai but left to rue his poor finishes on Friday and Saturday when he played the last two holes in two over.
“I think the two finishes on Friday and Saturday obviously left me with a bit of work to do, and if I do come up one short, I'll obviously rue those two finishes on those two days,” McIlroy said as Hatton was making a birdie at the last that denied him the top-two finish he needed to wrap up the Race to Dubai a week early.
“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.”
It was a dream week for Waring (39), who made a 40-footer at the 17th to give himself a one-shot lead before rounding off a memorable week with a 10-footer for birdie at the last.
“It just means so much to so many other things that come with that win,” said Waring, who goes to fifth in the Race in Dubai. “That said, early in the week, to actually keep control of myself in the way that I did today, I'm really proud of myself, and (caddie) Alex was absolutely amazing.
“Playing partner was amazing, Shane, was great, as was Niklas. I'm a bit taken aback right now.”
As for the putt at the 17th, he said: “Massive. I'm not that emotional, anyway, on golf courses. I tend not to fist-pump, and I tend not to get up and down, and I tend to stay quite steady.
“It was actually the putt on 15, the par save. It was only five feet tall, but it was such a solid putt. It just gave me so much confidence coming in that if I just keep hitting putts like that I'll be fine.
“The one on 17, I could just see it tracking in the whole way, and just knew I was going to hole it. As soon as it left the blade, I knew it was in. So yeah, it was a big moment. Big, big moment.”
