Paul Casey took his first victory in two years with a final round of 70 making a stunning 21-under-par total at the Abu Dhabi Championship.
Starting the final day with a four-stroke advantage over Martin Kaymer, Casey, whose last win came in the same event back in 2007, survived a wobble on the back nine to gain a one-shot success over Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen.
Englishman Casey began with consecutive birdies and looked in command after picking up further shots at the sixth and eighth to end the front nine in 34.
Yet another birdie followed at the 10th hole to open a six-shot lead but then looked worried as three bogeys in the next four meant he arrived on the 15th tee just one ahead of South African Oosthuizen, who had set the clubhouse target at 20-under-par after achieving a bogey-free round of 64.
Casey, however, parred the final four holes to hold off Oosthuizen and defending champion Kaymer, who eagled the last for a round of 67.
Oliver Fisher fell away from the leaders on the final day, having started T8 he managed to finish the last round with three-over-par. Four bogeys and a birdie meant that Fisher’s start of eleven-under-par on day four was reduced to eight, leaving him T37 overall.
Speaking about Thursday’s desert hailstorm in Dubai, Fisher said:“It was weird, weren’t it? We were all hiding behind the TV stand on hole No 4. It was pretty freaky.”
In the same interview with the Daily Telegraph, Ollie went on to say: “I need to get myself in that world top 50 as soon as I can. But the win’s the main thing. It’s the goal every week for me. I just wanna win.”
Fisher shrugged and said: “You learn from your mistakes. You have to learn to lose before you can learn to win, almost.”
Oliver Fisher Results
Round Scores = 67 – 69 – 79 – 75
Position = T37
Par = -8
Prize Money = €10148
