Paul Casey Wins in Houston

There was exactly one person that was glad they signed up for the Shell Houston Open this week after winds pounded players for four straight days, and it was the man holding the trophy late Sunday evening.

Paul Casey won his first PGA Tour title on Sunday after a marathon three days of golf after play was suspended on Thursday due to high winds. Casey's win came in a playoff against J.B. Holmes, who posted a 3-under 69 in the final round and sat in the clubhouse for more than two hours and 40 minutes waiting for Casey and Fred Couples to finish their rounds.

Holmes' tee shot on the first playoff hole found the water and Casey needed just a bogey for the title a week before the Masters. It was his 10th career win worldwide but first on American soil.

As good as the course conditions seemed to be all week at Redstone Golf Club just outside of Houston, Mother Nature was not so nice. High winds forced certain holes, including the par-4 18th, to be nearly unplayable, as just one player in the final round made a birdie on the closing hole. Casey opened the week with a 66, and followed that up with rounds of 70-69-72 to finished at 11-under par with Holmes.

Holmes might be disappointed because he couldn't pull out the victory, but the second-place finish also meant the 26-year-old won't be in the Masters field next week. Casey will, and after the round he mentioned the likes of Sandy Lyle and Phil Mickelson as men who have won the week before the Masters and went on to take the green jacket.

It isn't inconceivable that Casey makes it two-for-two at Augusta. In four starts, Paul has three top-11 finishes at the year's first major championship.

What did some of the other possible contenders at the Masters next week do at the Shell? Geoff Ogilvy finished t-6, Ernie Els finished t-14, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson both missed the cut and Sergio Garcia shot 81 on Sunday to finished dead last of the players that made the cut.