CASEY AT THE DOUBLE
Englishman holds nerve with classy bunker shot to defend Valspar title
PAUL CASEy pulled off one of the greatest shots of his career to claim a tense one- stroke victory and successfully defend the Valspar Championship in Florida yesterday.
Needing a par at the 18th hole on the difficult Copperhead course to win, the 41-year- old Englishman put himself under pressure by driving into a fairway bunker.
‘It wasn’t lying great,’ said Casey afterwards, but he made light of the difficulty with a stunning approach to 20ft, and two putted for the win.
‘ It’s going to be really satisfying looking back at that shot in years to come and it feels bloody cool to defend a title for the first time,’ he added.
Casey, who held off Tiger Woods down the stretch last year, had thought the biggest challenge would come from his playing partner, in-form world No 1 Dustin Johnson, with two wins to his name already this season. But while Johnson did not have a single birdie all day to finish tied sixth, it was lesser-known fellow American Jason Kokrak and former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen who proved his closest rivals.
Kokrak, playing in the group ahead, had a chance to pile on the pressure with a par at the 18th. But he has not won in 196 PGA tour events — and it showed with a messy bogey.
Casey, by contrast, showed a gossamer touch all day to close with a 72 for his third PGA Tour title. It was the third win in a row for Europe in the sunshine state, following victories for Frankie Molinari at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Rory McIlroy at the Players Championship.
By Casey’s side was his caddie John McLaren, who was not only on the bag last year but caddied for Luke Donald (below) when he won this trophy in 2012.
Speaking of Donald, he was back in action in just his second start of the season following a herniated disc — and how good to see him healthy again and shooting a finalround 73 to finish tied ninth.
‘This has far exceeded my expectations and, best of all, I feel better physically than when I began the tournament, so onwards and upwards,’ he said. Who hasn’t missed watching that liquid-pure swing and perhaps the best short game of any British golfer in history?
Due to his back problems, this was just his 13th tournament in two years and meant the former world No 1 began ranked, would you believe, in 919th position. After his first start, at the Sony Open in January, his back problem flared up and he only started hitting drivers again two weeks ago.
‘It’s not the worst thing in the world when I’m at home spending time with my wife and three girls but I do miss the competition,’ he said.
There is a reason why they say form is temporary and class is permanent.
On the par- five opening hole, he came up with a textbook example of his short game wizardry, as he holed a 40- yard shot for an eagle three. In that moment, all the months of hard work must have felt worth it.
As the wind picked up alongside the pressure, it was hardly surprising his game became erratic. The man who once went a whole season on the PGA Tour without a three putt, did just that at the second.
Luck deserted him on a couple of occasions as well, and long before the end his chance of winning had gone.
There was no disgrace in that, of course. Given all he has been through, a top-10 finish was a heck of a show.