Casey gains four shot victory

Britain's Paul Casey climbed to number two on the European order of merit on Sunday when he claimed his third title, the Benson and Hedges International Open, by four strokes.

Casey, 25, in a three-way tie for the lead overnight, carded a final-round one-under-par 71 for an 11-under-par 277 total, well clear of tournament favourite Padraig Harrington of Ireland, who shot a disappointing 75 to end as runner-up.

"I did expect Padraig to be a huge threat," said Casey. "I thought he'd throw down the gauntlet but that never materialised.

"The key for me was I had a good game-plan. I could have written down the clubs I wanted to play off the tee last night and got 14 or 15 of them right."

Scot Paul Lawrie holed in one at the seventh to give himself a chance of a sixth title, including his 1999 British Open title.

But he found water on the last to fall away and share third place, a further stroke back with New Zealand's Stephen Scahill and Dutchman Rolf Muntz.

On a windy day at The Belfry Ryder Cup venue, Casey broke four strokes clear before cutting his lead in half with a double-bogey at the 14th.

But with his rivals showing no sign of asserting pressure, the 2001 rookie of the year kept his cool to follow up his other 2003 success in the co-sanctioned ANZ Championship and post his fifth top 10 finish in eight events this season.

By the time Casey went to the 18th he held a five-stroke lead and could afford a closing bogey.

His elevation to second on the European rankings was, he revealed, part of his game-plan: "It was a big goal. It can get me in the US Open if I'm in the top two in two weeks time, and put me in the (British) Open.

"I used that as an incentive every time my concentration wavered today."

On a raw afternoon, the key holes in the outcome of the $293,000 first prize proved to be the par-four 11th and short 12th.

Casey made a par-saving putt of 20ft on the 11th, but moments later Harrington missed from nine feet to save par on the 12th.

That earned the Englishman a two-shot advantage and gave him a cushion to afford his slip on the short 14th where he fluffed a chip after missing the green.

When Harrington bogeyed the long 17th to extend Casey's lead again, the Irishman's bid to atone for 2000, when he was disqualified when five strokes ahead going into the final round for signing for a wrong score on the first day, was over.

With an indifferent three-over par on the day he had to settle for second best this time after last year's third place.

Sweden's Richard S. Johnson broke the course record by a stroke with a 64 that hauled him to fifth place but it proved a poor day for defending champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina, whose 78 dropped him back to a share of sixth spot.

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