Casey holds on to win in Abu Dhabi
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship | Round Four | 19 Jan 2009
Paul Casey won his first tournament since this same event two years ago when he defeated South African Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer to win the Abu Dhabi Championship by a narrow one shot margin after leading by six shots with eight holes to play in today’s final round.
The recently married Casey led by four heading into the final day and raced further ahead when he birdied his opening two holes, reached the turn in 32 and then added another birdie at the 10th. At that point it seemed highly unlikely that anyone could get near the 31-year-old but things changed dramatically over the next few holes.
Casey, who had dropped only two shots in his previous 64 holes, bogeyed three of his next four and with Oosthuizen, then late in the piece, Kaymer, applying the pressure over the closing stages the outcome remained in the balance until the final hole.
Oosthuizen, who has yet to win on the European Tour, birdied his final hole to complete a round of 64 to get within one and Kaymer, who was playing with Casey, eagled the last to get within one also.
Despite a final nine holes of 38, Casey held on to win by one and claim his 9th European Tour title but it was a narrow escape given the cushion he had earlier created.
Anthony Wall birdied his final two holes to finish alone in 4th position, while Johan Edfors, fast finishing Padraig Harrington and the brilliant teenager Rory McIlroy tied for 5th.
Sergio Garcia finished his tournament off well with an eagle putt on the final hole to close with a round of 64 to join rookie Danny Willett in a share of 8th.
The best of the Australians was Robert Allenby who finished 15th, Brett Rumford was 20th, 36 hole leader, Richard Green 26th, New Zealand amateur Danny Lee 35th, Rod Pampling 37th New Zealander Mark Brown 42nd, Scott Strange 50th and Aaron Baddeley 62nd.
The European Tour now heads further up the Gulf to Doha in Qatar for this week’s Qatar Masters.
