Paul Casey out to join ‘elite company’ with hat-trick at Valspar Championship

Paul Casey believes the pressure is off as he attempts to achieve the “extremely cool” feat of a third consecutive victory in the Valspar Championship.
Over the last 40 years there have only been eight instances of a player winning a PGA Tour event three or more times in a row, with Tiger Woods doing so six times and Stuart Appleby and Steve Stricker also claiming a rare hat-trick.
Casey would therefore be the first European player to enjoy a ‘three-peat’ following his victories at Innisbrook’s Copperhead course in 2018 and 2019, with last year’s event cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Looking for a third straight win @ValsparChamp, @Paul_Casey speaks with the media at Innisbrook. 🎙 https://t.co/c9YdVSeBxf
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 28, 2021
“It would just be extremely cool, flat out,” said Casey, who held off Woods and Patrick Reed to win in 2018. “I think even more so with the gap as well, with the one-year hiatus. I have done it but in amateur golf, three Pac-10s (US college championships).
“It’s elite company. I’ve been in the game long enough, but there’s numerous things that I still want to win and wish I had won, so just to add something to the fabric of everything would be very, very cool.
“This is for me one of the best tournaments on Tour. It’s a great golf course, great people. It’s exciting that we’re finally here and I feel like the pressure is not on me.
“We’ve got Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and guys like that playing this week, and the focus is going to be on them, so I feel like I’m kind of in a sweet spot and raring to go.”

Casey won the Dubai Desert Classic at the end of January and has also recorded four other top-10 finishes this season, but missed the cut on his last start in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head.
“If you look at my results I have never played that golf course well for whatever reason,” the world number 20 said.
“I keep going back every few years to try and change that record, but it is what it is. There’s a lot of things I still did very well that week, and if anything it’s a nice sort of reset to look at the game, see what I need to work on.
.@TigerWoods was rockin’ at the 2018 @ValsparChamp. 💪
He went on to finish T2.#TOURVault pic.twitter.com/K5InZgXjFM
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 28, 2021
“I feel very happy with the game so there’s nothing I’m worried about. We’re trying to peak every single week. This week is very important for me.
“I’ve got a lot of great golf left ahead of me, great championships I want to try and win, so I feel good. I’m still incredibly motivated, still working as hard as I was at the beginning of the year, so yeah, ignore the blip a couple of weeks ago.”
Latest
-
PGA Championship
Graeme Storm recalls ‘surreal’ US PGA adventure after battle with Rory McIlroy
His famous victory over McIlroy came on the third extra hole in the 2017 South African Open in Johannesburg
-
PGA Tour
Lee Kyoung-Hoon shoots his lowest round on the tour to retain Texas title
Dallas-born Jordan Spieth went close with a chip for eagle on the 18th which would have forced a play-off.
-
European Tour
Sam Horsfield ‘so happy’ after winning Soudal Open to secure another title
Horsfield overcame overnight leader Ryan Fox in a thrilling final-round battle.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Rose still has drive to succeed as ‘exciting challenge’ of US PGA arrives
Rose won the US Open in 2013 and Olympic gold in Rio three years later, but has not tasted victory since February 2019.
-
PGA Championship
Tiger Woods will expect to do better at US PGA Championship – Curtis Strange
Woods returned to top-level action after a long injury absence with a 47th-placed finished at the Masters.
-
PGA Championship
Defending champion Phil Mickelson withdraws from US PGA Championship
The six-time major winner has been taking a break from golf.
-
PGA Tour
English rookie David Skinns shares lead in Texas
The 40-year-old from Lincoln shot a second-round 63 in the AT&T Byron Nelson.
-
PGA Championship
Jordan Spieth looking for career grand slam at US PGA Championship
The presence or absence of defending champion Phil Mickelson which will dominate the conversation at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship
5 contenders to win the US PGA Championship
Tiger Woods could contend for victory in Tulsa.
-
News
We’ve got your back – Greg Norman promises to defend players on breakaway tour
Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are among the professionals to have asked for the required release to play the first event at Centurion Club.