When Paul Waring arrived at Yas Links with a slender lead ahead of the final day of the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, you might have assumed he was feeling at least a hint of nerves.
After all, the unsung Englishman, who is 40 on his next birthday, had won just once before, six years previously, out of 332 starts on the DP World Tour.
The glare of the spotlight is not exactly the natural habitat for him in the way it might be for, say, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, or any of the other gilded vultures perched behind him in the ravenous chasing pack.
If he was feeling trepidation, he had a funny way of showing it. As he disembarked the Genesis GV80 tournament car which had brought him to the course, he had his cap on back to front. He flashed his biceps at the TV camera filming his arrival, blew a kiss, and proclaimed his love for everyone.
Was it a front? Or did he really feel that comfortable? “I felt OK today, I was worse yesterday,” Waring said.
“[Saturday, when he shot over par] was the harder day for me, as I had a bit of confidence about me today. You always have a slow round in four, a day you have to get through.
“To get through that and still be in the lead, I knew I was going to give myself a chance, even if someone made a run at me.
“I knew I was going to be able to control what I was doing quite well. I felt like I controlled my golf ball well into the middle of greens, and I felt like I could have been a little more aggressive at times if I’d needed to be.”
And the truth was, he didn’t need to be. Despite being without a title since the 2018 Nordea Masters in Sweden, and having had a couple of runner-up finishes this year, he was coolness personified as the starry field jostled for position behind him.
At the penultimate hole of the competition, he rolled in a long putt for birdie to assume a one-stroke lead from Tyrrell Hatton, the multiple Rolex Series tournament winner who had the clubhouse lead at 22-under.
Waring’s drive at the 72nd hole was perfect. He opted against a layup, and went direct for the heart of the green. His approach might not have exactly matched the one he played in setting up the eagle that gave him a course-record 61 on Friday, which he had termed “the best shot I’ve ever hit”.
This time it ran through the back, but he was comfortably up and down from there for another birdie that saw him finish on 24-under and claim the Falcon Trophy.
His calmness under pressure was remarkable. He said it was all down to delegation: he would worry about plotting his way round the course, while his caddie, Alex Evans, looked after any scoreboard watching that needed doing.
“I was just trying to play golf, and he was managing how aggressive he wanted me to be,” Waring said.
“Sometimes you have to do that. If you are looking at leaderboards the whole time, you know what you have to do, but you also know who the people are behind you.
“[Playing partners] Shane Lowry is a real good lad, a good friend of mine, as is Niklas Norgaard, and I had my best mate on the bag, so we had a bit of a laugh today. It was good fun.
“With all the pressure that was on, it was still a bit of a laugh out there. I’m wearing shorts, out in the beautiful sunshine, so it felt to me like I was on holiday out there at times.
“I was looking around, taking in the surroundings, and I felt like I was in a good place.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zayed Sustainability Prize
US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
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Brave CF 27 fight card
Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)
Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)
Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)
Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)
Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)
Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
