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A20 SPORTS
Monday 12 March 2018
Casey wins

Continued from Page 18 his most recent victory, the
Bridgestone Invitational in
After Woods signed for a August 2013. This was his
1-under 70 — his first time fourth PGA Tour event since
since August 2013 that he returning from his fourth
tied for second with all back surgery. He is getting
four rounds under par — better with each tourna-
he worked his way toward ment, though he didn’t feel
Casey to congratulate him sharp with his irons on Sun-
on his first PGA Tour title day and played too often
since the Houston Open in to the fat of the greens.
2009, a span of 132 starts. “I had a good shot at win-
“It’s the only time he’s con- ning this golf tournament,”
gratulated me immediate- Woods said. “A couple
ly after a victory,” Casey putts here and there, it
said. “Normally, it’s the could have been a differ-
other way around. That’s ent story.”
something special. Just re- Two shots behind going
ally cool. I’m sure he was to the back nine, with
disappointed he didn’t Casey running out of bird-
get the victory. I actually ie chances, Woods failed
thought he was going to to birdie both par 5s. He
win today before the round pulled a wedge into the left
started. I thought it was just rough on No. 11 and three-
teed up beautifully for him. putted from 80 feet on No.
I said a couple times, ‘If I 14. He failed to make a pair
don’t win this thing, I actu- of birdie putts from the 15- Paul Casey holds up the champion’s trophy after winning the Valspar Championship golf
ally want Tiger to win it.’ foot range. tournament Sunday, March 11, 2018, in Palm Harbor, Fla.
“I’m glad it’s this way.” And then he showed up Associated Press
Woods opened with a two- with one big putt, looking
putt birdie to briefly tie for very much like the Woods most rewarding of his 16 just was a great week — hole on the Copperhead
the lead. That was his last of old who lingers long victories worldwide. the buzz, everything about course. From 185 yards, his
birdie until he revved up enough to make his oppo- “Probably more satisfying, it,” Casey said. 7-iron came up some 40
the raucous crowd with nents worry. the fact that it was on a Reed, who closed with a feet short, and his birdie
his long birdie on the 17th, Casey, who finished at week where Tiger played 68, had a better chance at putt to force a playoff was
giving him his best chance 10-under 274, goes up to some good golf and got winning than Woods, and 2 feet short.
to win since his back prob- No. 12 in the world with to see some amazing stuff the disappointment was Next up for Woods is the Ar-
lems began not long after what he called one of the and hear the roars and it clear. He tied for the lead nold Palmer Invitational at
with a birdie on the par-5 Bay Hill next week, which
14th, and he hammered a he hasn’t played since win-
tee shot on the uphill 18th ning five years ago. He is
that left him a wedge to an eight-time winner at Bay
the green. He thought he Hill, and the euphoria over
flushed it. He twirled his his return is sure to reach
club. But the ball came even higher decibels.
down the slope, leaving “I felt very comfortable. My
him about 45 feet away up game was quite solid this
the ridge. entire week,” Woods said.
The first putt, which had “As a whole I felt very good
to travel across a section about what I did this week.”
of the fringe, was so short Corey Conners, the Cana-
that it rolled all the way dian rookie who started the
back to his feet. Reed used final round with a one-shot
a wedge for the next one lead, fell back quickly af-
and came close, though it ter opening with a bogey
was never on line. on the easiest hole at In-
“It happened to be unfor- nisbrook. He shot 77 and
tunate it got around the tied for 16th. Justin Rose,
corner of the green where among six players who had
I was on the green, had to a share of the lead at some
go over the fringe, through point in the final round, had
about 7 feet of fringe and back-to-back bogeys on
back on the green, and the back nine and never
I thought I could putt it,” atoned for his mistakes. He
Reed said. “I gave it extra closed with a 72 and fin-
because I knew it was go- ished three shots behind.
ing to either pop or come That left Casey the win-
out slow. I just didn’t hit it ner, finally. Woods has to
hard enough.” wait at least another week,
Woods played conserva- with the next stop at a golf
tively with an iron off the course Arnold Palmer built
442-yard, uphill closing and Woods used to own.q