Casey holds on for overdue win

Paul Casey clang on for his first victory in two years when he won the Abu Dhabi Championship.

It seemed like he was coasting to victory when he led by six shots with only eight holes to play, but then bogeyed three of the next four.

Although he was not looking at leaderboards, South African Louis Oosthuizen posted an eight-under-par 64 and suddenly the gap was reduced to one shot.

However, the 31-year-old Ryder Cup star, whose last win came in the same event at the start of 2007, parred the closing stretch for a 70 and took the 217,153 first prize with a 21-under total of 267.

Having slipped from 12th in the world to outside the top 40, the ninth European Tour title of his career should take Casey close to the top 20 again.

The former World Match Play champion said: "That was a bit of a nervous one. I started off great, but it was tricky coming in. The greens were exceptionally difficult to read and there were a couple of camera clicks which put me off."

He added: "It feels very satisfying to get my hands on the trophy again. I didn't think I would have to wait so long. My game is now better than it's ever been and I've played some great stuff in spurts, but I've never really put it together.

"I've been focused very much on the majors, and performed well, and maybe neglected other tournaments. That's what I'm trying to do and it looks like it's paying off."

Defending champion Martin Kaymer tied for second with Oosthuizen thanks to an eagle on the 557-yard last, and that could be enough to take the 24-year-old German into the world's top 20 for the first time.

Londoner Anthony Wall was fourth and Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington, Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy and Swede Johan Edfors came joint fifth, while Sergio Garcia's 64 lifted him into a tie for eighth with England's Danny Willett.