Paul Waring's 61 (-11) record. Ugo Coussaud unleashed!

Paul Waring erased Sami Välimäki and Tommy Fleetwood, co-record men at Yas Links, from the records with a 62 (-10). By posting a huge 61 (-11) without an error, the 39-year-old Englishman, in turn, enters the history of the tournament and above all offers himself as leader at -19 (125) five strokes ahead. advances on his first pursuers. Still without a single bogey in 36 holes, Ugo Coussaud, 64 (-8) this Friday, climbs to 6th place at -12. He is projected 31st in the Race.

L.V.

We take the same ones and start again. Only eight players out of the seventy lined up in this Abu Dhabi HSBC Championshipfirst of the two playoff tournaments of the DP World Tour 2023-24posted a map above par. Among them, the English Justin Rose (74) et Daniel Brownhero of the last The Open à Troonpoor student in the class with a heavy 76 (+4).

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The rest of the field, despite temperatures above 30 degrees, once again “feasted” on this Yas Links decidedly harmless when the wind is absent. Many very low scores therefore but none able to compete with the one slammed this Friday by Paul Waring.

A huge 61 (-11) with an eagle and nine birdies which allows him to erase the Finn's 62 from the local record books Sami Välimäki signed in January 2023 during the 4th round and that made at the start of this 2024 edition by Tommy Fleetwood.

An incredible feat for the experienced English golfer, 39, winner only once on the European Tour (Nordea Masters 2018), on the verge of one of its best seasons with already five top 10 finishes on the clock including a 3rd place in the Volvo China Open last May 5.

This card from elsewhere – the best of his career on the European Tour – also allows him to be projected 7th in the Race halfway through, while he was only 48th at the start on Thursday morning. Now tournament leader at -19 (Victor Perez won last year with a score of -18 after 72 holes), Paul Waring is five shots ahead of his closest adversaries, his compatriot Tommy Fleetwoodwho settled for a 68 (-4) today, the Danes Niklas Norgaard et Thorbjørn Olesen as well as the American Johannes Veerman.

Endure the conditions but give your best to each shot. For now, things are going well. The attitude is good!

Ugo Coussaud at the Golf+ microphone

At seven lengths, we still find three Englishmen (Laurie Canter, Tyrrell Hatton et Matt Wallace) as well as the astonishing Ugo Coussaudimpeccable since his first start on Thursday here in the Emirates. Angoumoisin, who, let us remember, is discovering the DP World Tour this season, is in 6th place at -12 without having yet conceded the slightest bogey. He is currently projected 31st in the Race, now not far from a ticket for The Open 2025 au Royal Portrush.

« Another great dayunderlines the Frenchman at the microphone of our colleagues from Golf+. Lots of fairways, lots of greens… A few more putts today and it falls straight away. This looks a lot like my game yesterday (68). With the heat, it's one blow after another, remembering to eat and drink, trying to get into the shade when you can. Endure the conditions but give your best to each shot. For now, things are going well. The attitude is good! »

Ravetto, still under threat of the top 52…

In search of a saving top 52 to compete in the final in a few days in Dubai, Adrien Saddier played 68 this Friday. Projected 66th in the Race, the Haut-Savoyard still has two laps to try to secure a top 10 which could probably be enough for him to achieve his objective for the week. He is only two shots away from this zone.

Of the six French people who are currently on track to take part in the final from November 14 to 17 on the Earth Course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, David Ravetto is always the most exposed. The Racingman, 56th at -3 after a 70 (-2) and a 71 (-1), is thus projected 51st in the Race. That's five places less than the day before. The weekend therefore promises to be both stressful and motivating for the winner of the Czech Masters last August 18!

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Photo : DAVID CANNON / David Cannon Collection / Getty Images via AFP