Masters in sight for Paul Casey

Paul Casey feels he can challenge at next month’s Masters after successfully defending the Valspar Championship title.

Casey, 41, became the first man to defend the title on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort as he finished one shot clear of closest challengers Jason Kokrak and Louis Oosthuizen.

The Englishman has never managed to land one of the majors and his best finish at Augusta is a tie for fourth in 2016, but he feels he could be a contender at this year’s Masters after landing his third PGA Tour win.

“I feel good,” Casey, who is 29.00 to win the Masters outright, told Sky Sports. “I’ve got to play like that. I drove the ball so well this week, these fairways are so narrow.

Drive it like that [and] I’ve got a very, very good chance [at the Masters].

“Clean up the putting a little bit and I need someone like Rory [McIlroy] and Dustin [Johnson] to maybe not play their best because I’m not sure I can beat them when they are on their best game – I give them full credit, I’m not as good as they are – but I’ve got a good chance.”

McIlroy is rated at 8.50 to win the Masters and Johnson is a 9.00 chance. Defending champion Patrick Reed is 34.00 to take the title again, Tiger Woods is 15.00 and last year’s runner-up, Rickie Fowler, can be backed at 21.00.