Casey captures first US golf tour win

England's Paul Casey notched his maiden USPGA Tour victory, outlasting J.B. Holmes in a playoff to win the 5.7 million-dollar Houston Open.

It was the first victory in 52 starts on the US tour for Casey, who led by one with one hole to play but bogeyed the 18th in regulation.

Casey also bogeyed 18 in the sudden-death playoff, but that was enough to see off Holmes, who who drove his tee shot into the water.

"It's a little bit like my first win felt in Europe, which I can remember very vividly," Casey said. "First win in Europe, first Ryder Cup experience, and now first PGA Tour win. Three fairly major events in my life, in my golfing life.

"So I think I need to give it a couple days to let this one sink in."

Holmes had endured a wait of more than two and a half hours after taking the clubhouse lead at 11-under 277.

"I don't think I could have put any more pressure on him than what I did," Holmes said. "I posted that (11-under) three hours before they were done. Lot of hard holes. That was an advantage I thought I had, but then when you get into a playoff waiting three hours, it turns into a little bit of a disadvantage.

"There's no excuse. I hit a bad shot and didn't deserve to win."

Casey was among six players tied for the lead on 11-under 205 following the completion of the third round on Sunday, as the weather-disrupted event raced to the finish line.

He carded an even-par 72 in the final round for 277.

Tour officials said it marked the largest number of players to share the 54-hole lead since 1970, the first year that the statistic was kept.

Casey said he tried to concentrate on his own game, and not the crowd around him on the leaderboard.

"I kept my head down, to be honest, and didn't pay too much attention to what was going on," Casey said. "I just thought it was incredibly difficult out there, so why burden myself with knowing too much. Just get on with it. It's an incredibly difficult golf course with a very difficult conditions. They set it up brilliantly."

US veteran Fred Couples, who was among the third-round leaders, and led for much of the final round.

A bogey at the par-three 16th dropped him into a tie with Holmes and one shot behind Casey.

Couples, 49, unraveled with bogeys on the final three holes, carding a 74 to finish tied for third on 279.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Australian Nick O'Hern both shot final-round 70s for 279.

The four other third-round co-leaders - Australian Geoff Ogilvy, Ryan Moore, Colt Knost and Bo Van Pelt - never challenged in the final round.

Ogilvy was in search of his third victory of 2009, after winning the season-opening Mercedes Benz Championship and the WGC-CA Championship in March.

He ballooned to a 75 to finish tied for sixth on 280.

Reigning British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland moved within within one shot of the lead after a birdie on the first hole, but eventually staggered to a 77. That included a chip-in for double-bogey at 18.

Harrington will be gunning for a third straight major championship when The Masters tees off at Augusta National on Thursday.

"You know, it's awfully tough today," he said. "You start looking forward to next week and it has been a good week for me in terms of where my game is at. Lot of patience today. Well, you know, it was windy today.

"Slipped a bit of patience today. Don't want to do that next week."