Casey fires 65 to secure Abu Dhabi title

BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship | Wrap | 22 Jan 2007

In a further display of the growing strength of ’twenty somethings’ in English golf, Paul Casey gave the first indication that this could be a great day for English golf when he charged home with a final round of 65 to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. In the United States, Justin Rose was also flying the flag for English golf as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic entered its last day but that was ahead as Casey stormed to a one shot lead early in the back nine.

Casey had started the final round at ten under par and three behind Harrington but playing to groups ahead of Harrington Casey moved through the front nine in five under 31 and then added further birdies at the 10th and 11th to move ahead. He then led by one over Harrington who had done little wrong but Casey’s burst was putting pressure on all.

Harrington found the rough from the tee on the 11th and then the greenside trap and took bogey and fell two behind. At that point it was Miguel Angel Jimenez who was emerging as perhaps Casey’s biggest threat. Jimenez hit his approach at the 11th from the fairway trap to 15 feet and when that went in he was just one back.

Casey’s defining moment came at the par four 16th when he hit a brilliant second to three feet and when that went in he had moved to 18 under and was two ahead. Another important moment came at the 17th when he hit a superb second from a downhill lie in the fairway bunker to find the green albeit a long ay from the hole. He made a great two putt to remain one ahead of Jimenez as he walked to the par five 18th. A few moments later Jimenez rolled in a 17 foot downhill birdie putt at the par three 15th and the difference was again just one.

Needing a birdie at the last to all but assure victory, Casey pulled his tee shot and as forced to lay up well short. His third was well left of the hole and hen he ran his 40 foot past he faced a five foot putt for par.

“The putt was into the grain and I just didn’t hit it,” he said later as he contemplated that might have been a costly bogey. His last round of 65 however had left Casey at 17 under but he would be forced to wait as those behind looked to catch him.

Although they had their chances, neither Jimenez nor Harrington was unable to make the birdie or eagle needed at the last to force a playoff. Peter Hanson however did make a birdie from four feet to join Jimenez in second place. Jimenez had a birdie chance at the 16th but missed and when he bogeyed the 17th, after a poor approach left him too much to do, he needed a birdie at the last which he as unable to produce.

Chris DiMarco, looking to defend his title produced an impressive last round of 66 to move into 4th place ahead of Retief Goosen and Harrington, the latter of whom made a bogey six at the last hole to cost himself a lot of money.

For Casey the victory will move him very close to the top ten in golf and further confirms his growing status in the game. He was narrowly beaten in the race for European Tour Order of Merit honours late last year but he has made an immediate statement that he might just claim that title in 2007.

The best of the Australians was Richard Green who finished in 29th place, Nick O’Hern was 41st after having made a great start to the week, Brett Rumford as 41st, Matthew Millar 59th and Terry Price 74th.

The European Tour now heads to Qatar for this week’s Commercialbank Qatar Masters.