By Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:26 GMT, 24 March 2019 | Updated: 22:51 GMT, 24 March 2019
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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 on Sunday.
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 lieing great,’ said Casey afterwards, but he made light of the difficulty with a stunning approach to 20ft, and two putted for the win.
Paul Casey became the first golfer to retain the Valspar Championship
‘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 number one Dustin Johnson, with two wins to his name already this season.
But while Johnson didn’t 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.
Casey played a brilliant shot to 20ft and two putted for a one stroke victory
Kokrak, playing in the group ahead, had a chance to pile on the pressure with a par at the 18th. But, he hasn’t won in 196 PGA tour events – and it showed with a messy bogey.
