Just 15 months ago, Paul Waring was clinging to his DP World Tour card, finishing 112th in the Race to Dubai Rankings – just six spots shy of losing his place on golf’s global Tour.
Fast forward to today, and the Dubai-based Englishman is riding a wave of career resurgence. He’s debuted in the Team Cup, climbed back into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, secured playing privileges on the PGA Tour, and positioned himself for a potential Ryder Cup debut later this year.
The catalyst? A career-defining victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where Waring outdueled a star-studded field, including Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton, to clinch his second DP World Tour title. The win came six years and 83 days after his maiden triumph at the Nordea Masters.
“It was a bit of a life changer, really,” Waring told Worldwide Golf at last month’s Team Cup.
“I think in the moment you don’t realise what’s going on, you’re too busy just trying to win a golf tournament – I think that’s the number one priority in that situation. It wasn’t until I think the interview on Saturday with Tim Barter where he mentioned that I was currently projected to go up to seventh in the Race to Dubai Rankings.
“In that moment I didn’t realise it would actually take me that high up and have a chance for of a PGA Tour card, which completely changes everything that happens this year.
“It’s sunk in now; I’ve started a plan now for this coming season. It’s just an absolute whirlwind and amazing what can happen within, I’m going to say one week, but there was a solid season behind that, and I always felt I was going to win last season at some point. I’m just made up it came at such a big event.”
Heading into the penultimate Rolex Series event of the season, few would have pegged Waring as a serious contender for the title in Abu Dhabi.
Despite a resurgent 2024 campaign, the 39-year-old arrived in the capital ranked 47th in the Race to Dubai standings, dangerously close to missing out on the season finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
While household names like Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, and Tommy Fleetwood dominated the UK betting markets, Waring was relegated to the role of a rank outsider, with pre-tournament odds of 299/1. Yet, while others doubted his chances, Waring saw something in his game that gave him quiet confidence.
“I knew I had a shot,” he later reflected, pointing to the strides he’d made throughout the year. And when the moment arrived, the unassuming Englishman proved he wasn’t just there to make up the numbers—he was there to win.
“The season before, I really struggled, had a couple of niggles in my body – I sort of muscled through it,” he said.
“I wasn’t playing great, and it sounds daft, but a little bit of bad luck along the way. And then last season moved out to Dubai in the winter and just had a great winter practicing.
“Even those first few events last season, I just felt like I could really compete again as I was in really in a good place. As the season built up, I gave myself a bit of a chance in China in the middle of 2024, and then played really solidly throughout the year.
“I just had one iffy bad round, which meant going from winning, second or third to a sixth, seventh or top ten. I knew I was playing great and knew if I kept all four rounds going, I’d give myself a chance – it just so happened to be the penultimate event of the year.”
Paul Waring has made some great friends in Dubai.
Waring’s remarkable transformation – from teetering on the brink of losing his DP World Tour card to earning a coveted spot on the PGA Tour in just 12 months – can be traced back to one pivotal life choice.
The Englishman swapped the familiar comforts of his Wirral home for a fresh start over 5,400 kilometres away, settling into a new base on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.
According to the man himself, this bold move provided the spark that reignited his career.
“I just got to a point with my career that I needed to make a little change,” he said.
“And that change was to go somewhere with some of the best facilities in the world. I’ve got a lot of friends here as well, and also, with the way the DP World Tour was going, we were basing ourselves more and more into Asia.
“It saved me, what, seven hours of travel out of Manchester Airport, and four hours of jet lag when we’re spending so much time in Asia.
“From playing in Korea at the end of October to May, I’d have gone through Dubai for every single event. So, over half my season I’d go through Dubai International Airport—it actually made sense to me to base myself here, especially for the winter.
“And it kind of showed in how strong my start was last year. I think I finished just outside the top 10 at Leopard Creek, then I finished 16th in Mauritius just before Christmas. Those little things, those two weeks, I think just put me in great stead to start the season.
“So, honestly, my wife’s here as well, family and friends. It’s been one of the best decisions of my life – it really has.”
Although Dubai is where Waring hangs his hat these days, he won’t be spending much time soaking up the sun on The Palm or teeing off at his home course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, in the coming months. His sights are firmly set across the Atlantic as he prepares to tackle new territory in the United States.
Now in his 18th year as a professional, Waring is determined to make the most of this opportunity, aiming to play his way onto Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team – a dream he’s chasing with both hands firmly on the wheel.
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“The Ryder Cup is the goal for 2025,” he says. “It’s not a longshot, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work to achieve that goal. Because I did so well towards the end of last year, it’s put me in great stead to continue and keep playing well into the start of this season. I know it’s still going to take a couple more wins, so I know if I make that team, I’ve had a great season again.
“I’m in a great place mentally and I know what sort of player I need to be to make that team and go from there really.
“Because my goal is the Ryder Cup, I need to obviously plan my schedule around that. Following the Dubai Desert Classic and Ras Al Khaimah Championship, which are home events for me now, I’ll be predominantly in America until the Scottish Open and Open Championship.
“I’m going to have a real good crack at it and see what I can do, see what events I get into as my ranking isn’t the best ranking. I’m going to have to play when I can really in America and then see where the land lies come the middle of the year and make a few choices after that.”
These tough decisions are exactly what Paul Waring is embracing as he prepares for what could be the defining year of his career – one that promises not only financial rewards but also unprecedented playing opportunities.
In recent years, players like Matthieu Pavon and Robert MacIntyre have blazed a trail for DP World Tour members to thrive in the States. If Waring can follow their blueprint for success, there’s a good chance he’ll be packing his bags for New York and booking a flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport come September. n
