Casey escapes with 2nd straight Valspar

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Paul Casey became the first back-to-back winner in the 19 years of the Valspar Championship, and it was every bit as tough as he expected.

Not because of Dustin Johnson.

Because of Innisbrook. Casey held his nerve down the tough closing stretch on the Copperhead course for a 1-over 72, blasting out of a fairway bunker safely to 20 feet for a two-putt par and a one-shot victory Sunday over Jason Kokrak and Louis Oosthuizen.

It was the first time since this event joined the PGA Tour schedule in 2000 that the winner was over par in the final round. The course was so dry and fast that no one shot better than 68, and the average score of 72.143 was the second-toughest final round his year behind rainy, windy Riviera.

“Today wasn’t easy,” Casey said. “Last year’s win was so big. It felt like my first victory as a pro. I’m getting older, but I feel like I’m getting better.”

In one of the bunkers that resemble a miniature version of Oakmont’s church pews, Casey faced a key shot into the wind to an elevated 18th green. It came out perfectly to the right of the flag, and his birdie attempt grazed the left edge of the cup and left him with one of the easiest shots he had all day.

Casey finished at 8-under 276 and moved to No. 11 in the world.

It was the third straight week for a European-born winner on the PGA Tour, the first time that has happened since 2010 when Justin Rose (Memorial), Lee Westwood (St. Jude Classic) and Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open) won in successive weeks.

Nothing came easily for Johnson, who started one shot behind and failed to make a birdie putt for the first time in 31 tournaments. The last occasion was the HSBC Champions in 2017, when he lost a six-shot lead. This time, even with no birdies and two bogeys until late in the round, he was still in the mix.

That ended on the par-5 14th, when Johnson was just short of the green. But he ran his chip 5 feet by the hole and missed.

Johnson closed with a 74 and tied for sixth.

“I didn’t feel like I played bad,” he said. “But just, yeah, tough day. Tough conditions and wasn’t spot on.”

Oosthuizen shot 69 and Kokrak 71.

Said Kokrak: “Played good golf all week, just not the way I wanted to finish.”