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Casey takes Golfer of the Year honour

12/12/2006

Paul Casey has been named European Tour Golfer of the Year after taking three titles and playing a key role in Europe's Ryder Cup win at the K Club.

Casey was narrowly beaten to the Order of Merit prize by Ireland's Padraig Harrington - food poisoning at the final tournament of the season allowing the Irishman to edge past him.

The Englishman bounced back from a poor 2005 season, where at one stage he failed to make the cut for four months, to take the prestigious honour this season. Among his three victories this year was the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth.

Having received the news, he said: "Many great golfers have won the European Tour Golfer of the Year accolade and it gives me a great feeling of pride to join that illustrious roll of honour.

"The race for the number one position with Padraig, David Howell and Robert Karlsson was truly exceptional and, I believe, fired the imagination of the golfing public in Europe," he added.

Europe's Ryder Cup captain for 2008, Nick Faldo, praised Casey for his turnaround in form and said that the world number 14 had been outstanding at the K club, with his hole in one being the shot of the season in his opinion.

Darren Clarke had been on the shortlist after his heroic performance during the Ryder Cup, as was Harrington, however his one tournament victory ultimately could not measure up to Casey's three.

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