Paul Waring, Where Did That Come From?
Playing on a medical exemption, Paul Waring showed Thursday that you never know when it's going to click. Since the start of 2025, Paul Waring has made 21 worldwide starts—he missed the cut or withdrew in 17 of those tournaments. It’s been a slog for the World No.
301 since his win at the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. But Thursday was a different story. The 41-year-old from England poured in over 160 feet worth of putts during the opening round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open, fueling a bogey-free 7-under 63.
After the morning wave, Waring held a two-shot lead over Sam Burns, Michael Brennan, and Tom Hoge. RELATED: How to Watch the Houston Open Despite missed cuts at both the Cognizant Classic and Valspar Championship, Waring felt like his game was rounding into form. “I just didn't really—I gave too many shots away in the first few weeks, where this week, a lot tidier, no bogeys and holed a good amount of footage today,” he told the media after signing his card.
Waring battled a shoulder injury last year, a struggle that included painkillers and a cortisone injection. He said that he was competing against the best players in the world “with literally one arm tied behind my back. ” Because of his shoulder, Waring is playing on a medical exemption.
After the week at Memorial Park, he’ll have five starts remaining. To his credit, he isn’t panicking about getting his card back. He knows it only takes one special week.