Casey earns first win on PGA Tour

HUMBLE, Texas – Paul Casey finally considers himself one of the world’s top golfers, just in time for the Masters.

Casey won the Shell Houston Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory, beating J.B. Holmes with a bogey on the first playoff hole. The 31-year-old Englishman has nine international victories since 2001, but had never won in the United States. The victory boosted Casey from No. 12 to No. 6 in the world rankings, a career high.

“It’s time to start believing I can be a top 10 player in the world and maybe I can be in the top five,” Casey said. “Clearly, I just took a little while to sort of get used to things and feel comfortable. Now, I feel comfortable out here.”

Holmes needed a win to earn a trip to next week’s Masters, and is the only player from last year’s Ryder Cup who failed to qualify.

Casey bogeyed the 18th hole in regulation to complete a 72 and tie Holmes at 11 under par. Holmes wrapped up a 69 almost three hours before Casey finished.

The players met on the tee of the 488-yard 18th hole, the most difficult of the tournament with an average score of 4.336.

Holmes hooked his tee shot into the pond that lines the hole, admitting that the long wait threw him off.

“It was rough,” Holmes said. “I posted that three hours before they were done. That was an advantage I thought I had, but when you get into a playoff after waiting three hours, it turns out to be a bit of a disadvantage. I hit a bad shot and didn’t deserve to win.”

Casey then drove into the fairway bunker on the right side and hit a safe layup to the front of the green. Holmes reached the green with his fourth shot, then missed a long bogey putt. Casey two-putted from 27 feet to win.

Fred Couples, seeking his first victory since winning the 2003 Houston Open, led for most of the final round before bogeys on his final three holes left him at 9 under, tied with Henrik Stenson and Nick O’Hern in third place.