Updated at 11.05pm
TIGER WOODS FINISHED one shot short of victory in a dramatic end to the Valspar Championship, as Paul Casey came charging through the field to claim his first PGA Tour title in nine years.
Woods began the final round just a stroke off the pace at Palm Harbor, leading to heightened expectations on Sunday as the 14-time major champion sought to end a win drought stretching back to 2013.
The 42-year-old, competing at the highest level once again after four back surgeries in recent years, drew predictably huge crowds in the final round but could not reproduce the sharpness that earned him a 67 on Saturday.
He nevertheless approached the final green knowing a birdie would force a play-off, following a stunning 44-foot putt for a two on the 17th that sent his supporters crazy.
TIGER WOODS!!!!!
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 11, 2018
1. Shot. Back. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/EzmFJvu0sN
Woods could not drain another effort from distance on the last, though, and signed for a 70 to tie for second with Patrick Reed on nine under, one behind Casey, who was five back at the start of the day but shot 65 to post a clubhouse target that remained unmatched.
Reed was tied with Casey coming up the last, only to sensationally throw away the chance of victory – hitting a weak birdie putt from distance that ultimately saw the ball roll back down a ridge to its starting point.
That left Woods as the only man who could catch the leader, but the former world number one was only able to make par at the end of a largely frustrating round featuring just two birdies and a solitary bogey.
What a ride.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 11, 2018
Tiger Woods finishes 1 short of forcing a playoff.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/70hs4VSaBE
Casey, whose only previous PGA Tour win came at the 2009 Houston Open, had moved into contention with a three-under front nine, before surging to the top of the leaderboard thanks to three birdies in a row from the 11th.
The Englishman then held his nerve over the daunting closing holes, known as the Snake Pit, before watching on as Reed faltered spectacularly and Woods came up just short in a thrilling finale.
With the Masters looming, Woods will nevertheless be able to take a host of positives from the week, having registered his first top-10 finish in an official event since 2015 and a first placing in the top three since 2013, when he won five tournaments.
Sergio Garcia finished fourth on eight under after matching Casey’s 65, while Justin Rose was one further back with Rory Sabbatini after struggling for any form en route to a 72.
Rookie Corey Conners, who topped the leaderboard after each of the first three rounds, tied for 16th after a closing 77 and Brandt Snedeker – Woods’ playing partner – fared even worse, carding a miserable 78.
This guy is completely overratted
@jay bernard: don’t know how he warrants a contract of that size given his achievements in the game. He needs to start scoring regularly especially if the Wissam Ben Yedder rumours are true. WBY is a real fox in the box, Deschamps really rates him.
Best goal tally for 21 and under in the EPL, La Liga & Seria A in what was a shocking season under two different managers. 200k going to 300k based on incentives. Manchester born and bred. He’ll turn out to be some player yet
An absolute joke.
It’s 200k a week max as per Simon Stone – reliable United journo
@Brian: and you think that even £200,000 is acceptable for a player that scored 10 league goals last season. He’s English!!! He has been overhyped and overrated since they Day he broke into the first team by the British press, £200,000 per week for a very average player that would be more suited to playing for a team like Newcastle, Everton or Southampton. Mid table player at best, that shouldn’t be earning anything over 100,000 never mind 200,000 or 300,000.
@Devilsavocado: And eventually he will be destroyed by the British press too, I wish Utd would sell him on now
Beans Beans Beans
@Alan Brazil: is all you eat. Stand well back!
The club is a circus. Run by clowns who aren’t football men
@munsterman: and if you look at the nonsense that ich bin Brendan has been scribbling up there, it seems they are supported by a few clowns as well…..
@Devilsavocado: haha! G!mp
@Ich bin brendan: come on,, seriously mate, you really don’t believe the nonsense that you were writing in your previous posts do you?? There isn’t a club that finished in the top 5 above Utd that the lad would get into as a first team player. Not a single club that will be in the champions league next year had a bit of interest in buying him, he’s at best a bench player for Utd, but a 200,000 a week bench player??? WTF is going on at Utd that they offered that much money to him?? Where else was he going to go, they easily could have halved that and even then he should still consider himself lucky to be wearing the Utd jersey,, come on, I can’t be the only one who sees this….
@Devilsavocado: quit looking for validation. I’ll correct myself in that he didn’t score v pool in their 3-1 spanking but everything stated is fact inc. turning the best rb inside out and scoring in every debut. Barcelona were being touted as making an official approach, how much of that is being true is as truthful to say not a single team were, it would take a team of that stature to pull a local lad away from his local team. Apart from Kane for Spurs there isn’t a top 5 team that would produce an academy player like him. 200,000K is daft money but that’s the state of the club atm, not many want the Glazers there but that’s what they’re working with. I’m delighted he’s there for another 4 yrs, he’s got the wage now it’s upto him to start earning it, I believe he will.
@Ich bin brendan: ok fair enough, you have your opinion on the matter and people that actually know a bit about football have there’s. Let’s be honest here, I doesn’t matter that your opinion is obviously that of a delusional fan that can’t look at things without your fan glasses on but that’s ok,, we will leave it there and I’ll let you get back to your colouring book and crayons, there’s a good boy,, don’t stay up to late… :) validate myself, ha ha ha ha ha..
@Devilsavocado: “that actually know a bit about football” you have me stumped, you’ve trouble validating your opinionated drivel. “Ha ha ha” like I said before, G!mp
He’s got to start delivering on his promise . A lot of cash for a man still not scoring regularly but he does have the potential to be an absolute world class player I just hope he does start getting 30 odd goals a season .
On his debut he’s scored 2 in the EPL, same in his Europa, 1 Champions league and on his derby debut. Also turned the best rb in the country inside out to score against their biggest rivals, with the golden glove winner in goal!
@Ich bin brendan: can throw in his debut in the EFL & FA Cup as well. So every cup comp available to him. Calling him over rated is being bias, he’s proven he’s capable, needs consistency with age.
Reminds me of Ian Rush
His nose is offside
Even as a man utd fan, I think he doesn’t deserve this, prove your worth then get the money, he didn’t prove anything last season to deserve half this money.