Paul Casey flies to KLM victory and secures a DP World Tour Championship Dubai spot

Englishman Paul Casey put together a stunning weekend of golf to come from eight strokes off the pace and secure a victory in the KLM Open which all but guarantees his place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 November. The 37-year-old, whose fiancée Pollyanna gave birth to the couple’s first son just a fortnight ago, equalled the course record with an eight-under-par 62 in the third round followed by a closing 66 to pip fellow countryman Simon Dyson to the post by a stroke with a 14-under-par total of 266.

The win moves Casey, who finished fifth in the inaugural Race to Dubai in 2009, from 94th to 45thon this year’s table and takes his prize money for the season to €517,722 meaning his place in Dubai’s top 60 end of season showdown should be secure.

“First tournament as a Dad and first win as a Dad,” said Casey whose last victory came at the 2013 Irish Open. “I’m a bit emotional to be honest. It was very care free for three and a half days because if I played well or poorly I was going to see my baby, and then I got to the last three holes and I thought ‘I really want this’ – not that he is old enough to understand.

“This tournament has been going for more than 90 years and looking at some of the names on the trophy, you have Seve, Langer, Payne Stewart. It’s got some great names so to add my name to that is a great honour.”
Dyson, who was already guaranteed a spot in the DP World Tour Championship, moved from 35th to 22nd in The Race to Dubai with his second-place finish taking his prize money total to €786,579.
Another Englishman, Andy Sullivan, also secured a spot in the Dubai field after his third place finish at the Kennemer Golf & Country Club moved him from 47th to 36th in The Race to Dubai with prize money of €587,538.

The top 10 European Tour Race to Dubai Rankings as of 15 September following the KLM Open:

Rory MCILROY        €5,120,709
Sergio GARCIA         €2,275,712
Jamie DONALDSON    €1,774,445
Thomas BJORN        €1,773,501
Henrik STENSON        €1,691,231
Martin KAYMER        €1,570,937
Justin ROSE            €1,503,781
Victor DUBUISSON        €1,477,224
Stephen GALLACHER    €1,406,033
Louis OOSTHUIZEN    €1,226,249