GRIEVING CASEY HITS 65 TO KEEP WOODS AT BAY
English ace wins with a “heavy heart” as Tiger misses out on a play-off slot
PAUL CASEY shot a sixunder 65 to clinch Valspar Championship victory – and deny Tiger Woods his first PGA Tour win since 2013.
Casey set a clubhouse target of 10 under par at the Innisbrook Resort in Florida that American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed looked set to match before he bogeyed the final hole.
Woods was two behind with three to play but holed brilliantly from 40 feet for an unlikely birdie on the 17th and had a similar distance on the last to force a play-off.
But the 14-time Major winner, playing just his fourth PGA Tour event since undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April, was unable to repeat the feat and had to settle for a share of second one stroke behind.
Casey, who needed just 21 putts across the 18 holes yesterday, said: “I had something a little better in mind as the winning score.
“But I’m ecstatic and the reason is I putted great. I’ve been working hard on that and made the cleanup putts down 16, 17, 18.”
And the emotional Englishman, who revealed he had lost a friend recently, added: “I played with a heavy heart, maybe that was the difference.”
Woods had ignited the huge gallery with a two-putt birdie at the par-five first but that turned out to be his only one on the front nine.
He made the turn at eight under, equal third with fellow Americans Reed and Sam Burns and Masters champion Sergio Garcia of Spain. Garcia had only one hole left though.
Casey surged to the front at 10 under after 14 holes with seven birdies and one bogey after starting five strokes off the pace.
He led fellow Englishman Justin Rose who picked up one birdie in eight holes to improve to nine under.
Woods lamented a “couple of putts” but his performance was still proof he is a force again.
He said: “I didn’t feel that sharp with my iron game. I played very conservatively into the greens. But I keep getting just a little bit better and a little bit sharper.
“Today wasn’t quite as sharp as I’d like to have had it but I had a good chance at winning. A couple of putts here and there and it could have been a different story.”
Russell Knox finished in a tie for 16th place, the Scot’s last-day 72 leaving him at three under overall.
Meanwhile, Matt Wallace won the Indian Open in New Delhi after beating Andrew “Beef ” Johnston at the first play-off hole.
The Englishmen posted a final 68 and 66 respectively to finish 11 under before Wallace sealed his second European Tour crown.