Woods comes up just short as Casey wins Valspar Championship
MIAMI: Tiger Woods came up just short of his 80th US PGA Tour title on Sunday (Monday in Manila) at the Valspar Championship, where it was England’s Paul Casey ending a victory drought with a one-stroke triumph.
Woods, the 14-time major cham pion playing just his fourth Tour title since 2013 -- but on Sunday event since spinal fusion surgery last April, showed he’s a contender question of whether that drought will end but when. He opened with a birdie on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook surged to his second US PGA Tour Resort near Tampa, Florida, but gave that stroke back with a bogey
“I think I’ve gotten a little better at the fourth. than what I was a couple of weeks Woods didn’t find another ago,” Woods said.
“I keep getting just a little better drained a putt of almost 45 feet to and a little sharper. Today I wasn’t close within one stroke of Casey’s quite as sharp as I would like to clubhouse lead and send his mashave had it, but I had a good shot sive gallery into a frenzy. at winning this golf tournament.” He couldn’t repeat the feat at the Woods’ fusion surgery ended 18th to force a playoff, however, brief comeback bid last year. another long birdie try coming up a a couple of feet short.
Woods finished the day tied for second with fellow American Patrick Reed.
Reed opened his round with a 60-foot eagle putt from the collar out of playoff contention with a shocking bogey at the last, where the upper tier of the green where the pin was located.
Casey had four birdies and a bogey on his front nine, then seized control with three birdies on the trot at 11, 12 and 13 that moved him to 10-under.
He said keeping bogeys off his card over the demanding closing holes was key.
18 -- fantastic,” Casey said. “I’ve not done that in a long time and that’s the difference. That’s what I need to do.”
on the European Tour, the most recent coming at the KLM Open in September of 2014.
A three-time Ryder Cup player for Europe, his only previous US tour title came at the 2009 Houston Open.
“To get this one, to get my second one on the PGA tour is emotional. I’m so happy for it,” Casey said, noting that winning any tournament on one of the
“(Woods) made it look easy for such a long time, and it’s not,” he said.
Spain’s Sergio Garcia put in an encouraging performance as he warms up for the defense of his