Casey's back at the top.

Byline: By Mark Garrod

Paul Casey, unrecognisable from the golfer who was in the middle of a nightmare slump this time last year, held off Colin Montgomerie and the rest of the chasing pack to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, writes Mark Garrod.

Back at the scene of his maiden European Tour win in 2001 ( his rookie season as a professional ( Casey survived what he called a "nerve-wracking" closing stretch after it looked as though he might lose a four-stroke lead.

In the end the 28-year-old's one-under-par 72 proved just good enough for a one-stroke victory over fellow Englishman Andrew Marshall and Denmark's Soren Hansen.

Ashington's Kenneth Ferrie followed his US Open exploits by putting in a strong finish with birdies at three of the last five holes.

That gave him a four-under 69 for a top ten spot on 281 ( five shots behind Casey. Hartlepool's Graeme Storm was seven shots further back after a closing 74.

Montgomerie, who lost last week's US Open after double-bogeying the final hole, was also only one behind with two to play but this time bogeyed the short 17th and by failing to birdie the 533-yard 18th had to settle for a share of fourth spot. Casey's victory, worth pounds 233,330, lifts him to fifth place in the Ryder Cup race and closes the gap on David Howell at the top of the Order of Merit.

But his joy was mixed with relief as he collected the trophy.

"It feels fantastic, more so because I had a couple of great players chasing me," he said.

"To play with Colin in Scotland in the final group on a Sunday is a treat, very special, and it's difficult when you have a guy like him breathing down your neck."

Casey's game was in tatters a year ago, an opening 85 at the US Open coming during a spell when he did not make a cut from April until August.

Many linked it to the impact his ill-chosen words about the Americans ( "we properly hate them" ( following his Ryder Cup debut had on him and he would not deny it was a tough time.

While he did his best to repair the damage done his game deserted him. "I became paralysed over the ball and was beating myself up on the course. But all you can try to do is smile and battle through it," he said.

"It wasn't fun for a while ( it can't be when you don't know where the ball's going to go."

Slowly but surely, with the help of American coach Peter Kostis, the pieces were put back together.

He won the China Open at the end of last year and since February he has finished no lower than 20th in any tournament.

It was put to Montgomerie that his was not a bad effort considering what happened at the US Open only seven days earlier.

"I will leave you to say that," he responded, clearly not happy that another chance of victory had gone.

"I played the ninth (another par five) in level par and the last in one over," he added, identifying where this one got away.

It was almost inevitable, though, that fatigue ( mental more than physical ( would kick in at some point for Montgomerie.

Winning creates an inevitable high, but just failing to win has a draining effect. When it is a major that is 10 times worse.

And when you have just finished second for a record fifth time in a major without winning one it must be 100 times worse.

"I am very, very tired ( however many times tireds you can think of I'm them," the eight-time European No 1 had said as Casey came from five behind to one ahead over the last 10 holes of the third round.

For Marshall second place equalled his best on tour, but the cheque for over pounds 120,000 was four times his previous biggest.