Louis Oosthuizen’s long wait for a win on US soil will continue beyond the Valspar Championship, after he came up one shot short of Paul Casey on Sunday.
Oosthuizen, who bogeyed two holes late on Saturday, started with an eagle three on the first and quickly became the closest challenger to the Englishman.
Once again, the South African was unable to find greens in regulation. On Sunday he hit just five of 18 despite missing just three fairways off the tee.
His day would be characterised by his great scrambling play – a feature of his week – as he kept the pressure on Casey by not missing a putt within 10 feet until late on.
Oosthuizen and Jason Kokrak joined the leader, seeking to become the first to defend this event since it joined the tour 19 years ago.
Both of the challengers would make costly errors, though, with Oosthuizen’s coming at the start of the Snake Pit; the famed closing trio of holes that has defined this event.
Over the back of 16, Oosthuizen went with a wood to bump and run his way to the hole. His effort raced 8 foot past, and he missed the come-back putt to drop one behind.
‘There was too much grass behind the ball,’ he said. ‘I saw all the grass behind the ball, and I just gave it a little bit too much. I don’t think I would have chipped it any closer.’
Of the Snake Pit, Oosthuizen said: ‘I hit four good tee shots on 16 and I bogeyed it all four days. I would love to come back next year and try to make a par on that hole.’
Casey had his own trouble on the 72nd hole as he found the fairway bunker off the tee. He held his nerve with a superb escape to 20 feet and nearly holed his birdie try. A par was good enough for his title defence; a mean feat around Innisbrook.
