Casey denies resurgent Woods
The world of golf tuned in to see Tiger Woods lifting silverware after five years of agony, but instead witnessed Paul Casey joyously breaking his own barren run.
The Englishman might have ruined the party at the Valspar Championship but, be sure, that the 40-year-old’s first PGA Tour win in nine years – and his first anywhere since the 2014 KLM Open – was just as personally welcome as he took an astonishing 21 putts in an extraordinary 65.
Casey understood all the focus was on the resurrection man in the red shirt, yet after his Sunday magnificence for a 10-under total he was unashamedly in ecstasy in Tampa Bay.
“Sorry, Tiger, but I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” Casey said. “It’s very rewarding to have a good putting Sunday. It’s the thing that’s been holding me back and the frustrating thing for a couple of years.”
It is fair to say Casey was due. In the past three seasons, the former world No3 had racked up four runner-up places and 11 other top-five finishes. In 2015, Casey committed himself fully to the PGA Tour and actually made himself ineligible for the Ryder Cup as he tried to re-scale the mountain, having fallen outside the top 50.
Fortunately, Casey – who must have a huge shout at the Masters in three weeks – has rejoined the European Tour and, barring injury or illness, will play in the September tussle in Paris. Thomas Bjorn will be thrilled to have him there, and will also be buoyed after watching Sergio Garcia finish fourth and Justin Rose in a tie for fifth.
Yet, as surreal as it might seem, the Europe captain will now also fully expect Woods to be there at Le Golf National, playing for the Americans. This was the Woods of yore, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the very last green.
Beginning the day just one behind, Casey’s surge through the field had left him standing still and, when he approached the 17th green two behind, he looked to be beaten. Then Woods holed a 40-footer for a two and he was only one back.
The 18th at Innisbrook is a malevolent finale, however, as shown by Patrick Reed, who watched his first effort roll back to his feet when only needing a twoputt to force Casey to play-off. Reed’s three-putt made it a twohorse race, but when Woods could not convert his 35-footer – settling for a 70 to finish alongside Reed on nine-under – Casey was jubilant.
Yet so, too, was everyone who feared Woods was gone as a competitive force after all those back problems and the spinal fusion he underwent 10 months ago. Woods is back and roll on Augusta. He has raised Masters fever to ridiculous levels. First he plays in the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday and, as he has won that event eight times, he must be the favourite.
“I keep getting a little better and a little sharper,” Woods said. “I had a good shot at winning. A couple of putts here and there and it could’ve been a different story.”
On the European Tour, it was an England one-two as Matt Wallace beat Andrew “Beef ” Johnston in a play-off in the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi.