Mar 11, 2018; Palm Harbor, FL, USA; Tiger Woods plays from the fairway on the 2nd during the final round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament at Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead Course. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
March 11, 2018
(Reuters) – Tiger Woods trailed surprise leader Paul Casey by two strokes as the cream rose to the top during the final round at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday.
Woods, seeking his 80th win on the PGA Tour and his first since 2013, was steady rather than spectacular on the front nine after starting the day one stroke from the lead at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.
Dressed in his trademark Sunday best outfit of red shirt and black pants, he ignited the huge gallery with a two-putt birdie at the par-five first, but that turned out to be his only birdie on the front nine.
He made the turn at eight-under, equal third with fellow Americans Patrick Reed and Sam Burns, and Masters champion Sergio Garcia of Spain. Garcia had only one hole left.
Casey, meanwhile, surged to the front at 10-under after 14 holes as an English one-two finish loomed as a possibility.
Casey charged with seven birdies and one bogey in 14 holes, after starting the day five strokes from the lead.
He led compatriot Justin Rose, who picked up one stroke in eight holes to improve to nine-under.
Casey has won 13 times on the European Tour, but just once on the PGA Tour, at the 2009 Houston Open.
World number five Rose, meanwhile, has been on fire recently with three wins in his past nine starts worldwide.
Overnight leader Corey Conners, meanwhile, came back to earth as the big boys made their moves.
Conners dropped two shots in the first three holes, before settling down to trail by three shots after nine holes.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Gene Cherry)
