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SPORTS Monday 25 March 2019

Casey holds on to repeat title at Valspar Championship

By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) —
Paul Casey got the battle
he expected Sunday in the
Valspar Championship.
Just not from Dustin John-
son.
Casey and everyone else
had full attention on a
Copperhead course at Inn-
isbrook that made the final
round feel more like survival
than a shootout. Casey
did just that, closing with a
1-over 72 for a one-shot vic-
tory that made him the first
back-to-back winner in the
19 years of the tournament.
He rallied from five shots
behind last year with a 65.
This time, he became the
first winner at Innisbrook
with a final round over par.
“It feels very different, but
not any less cool,” Casey
said after making par
from a fairway bunker on
the 18th to avoid a play-
off with Jason Kokrak and Paul Casey pose with the champions trophy after winning the Valspar Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 24, 2019, in
Louis Oosthuizen. “That golf Palm Harbor, Fla.
course is so difficult that it’s Associated Press
damn near impossible to “There was too much grass left edge of the cup and That ended on the par-5 lead.
have a clean round of golf behind the ball,” he said. “I left him with one of the eas- 14th, when Johnson was Kokrak made bogey ahead
and not make any mistake. saw all the grass behind the iest shots he had all day. just short of the green fac- of him, leaving Casey only
But I was composed. I was ball and I just gave it a little Casey finished at 8-under ing a stock chip. He ran needing par on the 18th for
very keen to play well. I bit too much. I don’t think I 276 and moved to No. 11 in it 5 feet by the hole and the victory.
made mistakes, but then, would have chipped it any the world. missed. Casey was on the The biggest challenge for
so did everybody else. I got closer.” Kokrak had a good It was the third straight hill and lofted a pitch onto Casey?
it done, and I couldn’t be lie in trampled, dry grass week for a European-born the green to 2 feet for a “Combination of myself
happier.” near the cart path on the winner on the PGA Tour, birdie that restored his lead. and this golf course — the
The course was so dry and 18th hole, but his shot came the first time that has hap- Johnson closed with a 74 golf course providing such
fast that no one shot better out short of the green into pened since 2010 when and tied for sixth. a stern test and myself, can
than 68, and the average a sprinkler hole. A free drop Justin Rose (Memorial), Lee “I didn’t feel like I played I rise to that test and that
score of 72.143 was the put him in a position to putt, Westwood (St. Jude Clas- bad,” Johnson said. “Felt challenge that it’s provid-
second-highest average but he was short and left, sic) and Graeme McDowell like I was swinging well and ing and deliver?”
for a final round this year on and missed the 8-foot par (U.S. Open) won in succes- I still feel like I’m swinging The tournament allowed
the PGA Tour behind rainy, putt to fall one shot behind. sive weeks. well. I still got a lot of confi- players to choose what-
windy Riviera. “Played good golf all week, Nothing came easily for dence in the game but just, ever name they wanted
Kokrak (71) and Oosthuizen just not the way I wanted to Johnson, who started one yeah, tough day. Tough for the caddie’s bib. Casey
(69) each had a share of finish,” Kokrak said. shot behind and failed to conditions and wasn’t spot went with “The Champ,”
the lead on the back nine Behind him was Casey, in make a birdie putt for the on.” and he found one posi-
until one mistake cost them. one of the bunkers that re- first time in 31 tournaments Casey appeared to have tive to the week before he
Oosthuizen, who hit only six semble a miniature version worldwide. The last occa- the tournament in hand even collected his trophy.
greens in regulation, opted of Oakmont’s church pews, sion was the HSBC Champi- when he found the green “I don’t have to change
for a fairway metal from just facing a key shot into the ons in 2017, when he lost a about 35 feet below the the caddie bib,” he said.
behind the 16th green and wind to an elevated green. six-shot lead. This time, even hole on the par-3 17th. But Too late. The tournament
hit it too firmly. He missed It came out perfectly to with no birdies and two bo- he left it 5 feet short and already has “The Champ
the 8-foot par putt and the right of the flag, and his geys until late in the round, missed the par putt, falling X 2” ready for him next
never caught up. birdie attempt grazed the he was still in the mix. back into a share of the year.q