England's Paul Casey claimed his second title on The European Tour International Schedule after fending off an intensive challenge from the host nation to win the ANZ Championship at New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney. Casey shot a final round of 71 to finish on 45 points for the modified stableford system, four ahead of Stuart Appleby and Nick O'Hern of Australia.
Appleby almost forced a play-off when his attempt chip-in for eagle at the last lipped out, but Casey held on to secure the title. Another Australian, Peter Lonard, reached the turn in 30 to put pressure on the 25 year old from Weybridge, but eventually tied with compatriot Jarrod Moseley for fourth on 39 points.
Casey won the Diageo Championship at Gleneagles in 2001, his first season as a professional, and the former Walker Cup player had displayed signs of a potential return to winning form when he led for the first two days of the Heineken Classic last week.
He struggled a touch on the home stretch but had forged a healthy enough cushion over the first three days to remain just out of touch of the seven Australians and one New Zealander who all finished in the top ten..
"The first win was tough but then they are all tough," said Casey. "This shows the first title wasn't a flash in the pan and it probably answers a few critics out there."
Casey felt before the round began that a score in excess of 50 points would be required, particularly with Lonard already on the course and charging towards the top of the leaderboard. However his forecast proved optimistic as, one by one, his main challengers faltered.
Lonard, who finished tied for second with Nick Faldo in the Heineken Classic, covered the front nine in 30 to surge to 42 points by the 13th. But the Australian, who enjoyed a superb rookie season on the US PGA Tour in 2002, finished outside the top two for the first time in four tournaments, double-bogeying the par four 14th to slip back and once again concede the initiative to Casey.
Lonard and Moseley then set the clubhouse target at 39 points, the mark which Casey had attained overnight courtesy of a magnificent round of 63 on Saturday and a target which was therefore not likely to be enough to thwart the leader, especially after Casey had birdied the first two holes to reach the turn in 43 points
He sank a birdie putt on the tenth but successive bogeys on the 15th and 16th dropped him back to 43 points, just as O'Hern birdied the 18th to leapfrog Lonard and Moseley to close the gap to only two points.
It was then, on the 17th tee, that Casey looked at the scoreboard for the first time and started making calculations, namely that par or better over the last two holes would secure the title.
The crucial moment came on the 17th green where he faced an 18 foot putt for par as Appleby birdied the hole to move to 39 points. Casey remained the calmest man on course and sank the putt to remain on 43 points and force Appleby to go for an eagle on the last.
In a dramatic finale, the Australian's chip for eagle lipped out of the hole, but it proved no matter as Casey's approach shot landed within three feet and he sealed victory with a birdie.
