Paul Casey edges out Tiger Woods to win Valspar Championship

Englishman Paul Casey surged to victory at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday as Tiger Woods finished one stroke behind in a tie for second place.

The old Tiger magic was missing for most of the day as a cold putter hampered the 14-times major champion in his quest for a chance to record his first victory since 2013.

Missing, that is, until the par-three 17th, where Woods perfectly read and then executed a 45-foot birdie putt, his ball curling deliciously into the centre of the cup as the gallery went berserk.

But Woods could not replicate the magic at the par-four 18th, where he missed a difficult 40-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff with Casey at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.

Woods carded 70 and had to settle for second with fellow American Patrick Reed (68), who made an embarrassing bogey at the last when his first putt, through the fringe, failed to make it up the hill and rolled all the way back to his feet.

When the dust settled, Casey, long in the clubhouse with a 65 for 10-under 274, could finally celebrate his second victory on the PGA Tour.