Casey strolls to HSBC Matchplay crown
Sunday, 17 September 2006 17:31England's Paul Casey stormed to the £1million first prize - the biggest in golf - by crushing American Shaun Micheel by a record 10 and eight margin in the final of the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth today.
After scoring a three-under-par 69 in the morning round and going to lunch three up the Ryder Cup star, who earns his second cap for Europe at the K Club near Dublin this week, went into overdrive.
Three successive birdies took him to the turn in 31 for the second time in the day and with his opponent out in only 37 the gap was nine with nine to play.
When they shook hands on the next Casey had recorded the biggest win in a final in the event's 43-year history, eclipsing Nick Faldo's eight and seven victory over American Jeff Sluman in 1992.
The win takes Casey top of the European Order of Merit and into the world's top 20 - both for the first time.
Casey admitted he was honoured to be in such good company after joining the list of winners.
He said: 'Shaun didn't play the best golf he can. It was a pleasure to play with Shaun today. Yesterday I was just happy to be in the final and today I'm happy to win.'
'I've been working very, very hard at the game. I didn't think I'd reached that level (to win a top tournament) but maybe I have got near that benchmark. It's just wonderful to put my name down in history, put my name on the roll of honour,' he added.
Micheel said: 'I just didn't play well. He played great this afternoon. He made a couple of mistakes early in the day and I made a couple right on top of them. It was a frustrating day. He hit some great iron shots, which is what you have got to do.'
