England’s Paul Casey is set his focus on breaking back into the world’s top-50 after his dramatic victory in the Irish Open at Carton House on Sunday.
Casey, 35 ended a two-year winless drought by holing a monster 60-foot eagle putt to win the event by three shots with a round of 67 for a 14-under par tally.
Dutchman Joost Luiten (74) and England’s Robert Rock (71) finished joint second on 11-under par with Rock being runner-up for a second time in the event in four years.
Casey arrived in Ireland having slipped from number three in the world in mid-2009 to be lying a lowly 169th on the world rankings, and also missing the early part of the 2012 season after breaking his collar bone in a snow-boarding accident.
Now after his 12th European Tour success, and a first since capturing the 2011 season-opening Volvo Champions event in Bahrain, Casey has set his focus on breaking back into the world’s elite as well as a place in next year’s European Ryder Cup side.
“I’m absolutely thrilled as I always wanted a grandstand finish and I got one,” said Casey in relation to his final shot.
“I’ve never holed a putt like that to win a tournament. I feel over the moon.
“Psychologically, this win is huge. It almost feels like a first win again, that kind of feeling.
“I have struggled with the confidence, and this is a huge relief, knowing that I’m moving in the right direction; that I’ve got great golf left in me for another ten plus years.
“This is a massive confidence boost.
“I can start thinking now of getting myself back in the top-50 on the rankings, the Ryder Cup next year and the goal also is still getting back on the PGA Tour.
“And this win makes my season easier in terms of planning. I was chasing a little bit the last couple of months trying to play everything, because I know I was playing quite well, and it just needed something to click.”
Casey’s win pushed him up from 81st to 27th on the Race to Dubai.
However he will pass up next week’s French Open and the hope of securing one of the five places off the money list into next month’s British Open.
Instead Casey will now have to win the July 11th starting Scottish Open to qualify and secure the last place into the following week’s Open Championship at Muirfield.
