Waring misses out on victory in play-off drama

Aug 27 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

PAUL WARING narrowly missed out on a stunning maiden professional victory at the POSTBANK Challenge presented by Marcel Siem after losing out in a sudden-death play-off to Felipe Aguilar of Chile at the Golfclub Mülheim an der Ruhr in Dusseldorf.

The 22-year-old from the Wirral, who has been a professional for only two weeks, tied Aguilar and Scotland’s Andrew McArthur on 18 under par 266 after a thrilling final round.

Waring had taken a two-shot lead into the final round and made a perfect start with a birdie at the first hole, only to run up a potentially disastrous triple bogey seven at the second.

The 2005 English Amateur champion refused to give up hope of victory, though, and staged Ša brilliant recovery, birdieing the ninth, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th to haul himself level with his playing partners at the top of the leaderboard.

All three men made par four on the last to set up a three-way sudden-death play-off, but Waring was the first player to fall out of the shoot-out with a bogey at the first extra hole.

“I’m disappointed not to have won,” said Waring. “But this is only my second week as a professional and I have ticked so many boxes already.

“I made the cut last week and then this week I have been in the final group of the last two rounds and gotten myself into a play-off. It is all about experience in this game and this week has been a great experience.

“The triple bogey on the second was a harsh lesson, but I have learned so much that I have to be pleased with my performance.”

Waring can console himself with a second place cheque for £8,573 and an automatic place in this week’s Challenge Tour event – the ECCO Tour Championship – after his top 10 finish in Germany.