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Paul Casey misses out on Masters record after late slip-ups

Paul Casey during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
Image: Paul Casey closed with a 65 at Augusta National

Paul Casey missed out on a chance to make Masters history as he carded a seven-under-par 65 in the final round.

The Englishman had the course record at Augusta National in his sights when he moved to nine under for his round with a birdie at the 15th hole.

But he then parred the 16th and bogeyed both the 17th and 18th to finish two shots shy of the record of 63 which was set by Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996.

The 65 still completed a remarkable turnaround for Casey over the weekend after he only just survived the cut on five over after making a birdie at 15 and parring the final three holes on Friday.

Paul Casey during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
Image: Casey holes his birdie putt on the second

As a result, he was the first man out on Saturday, playing alongside marker Jeff Knox, and improved his position with a three-under 69, finishing his round with a birdie.

The 40-year-old continued his good form as he started his final round, making a birdie at the second, and he added further birdies at the fifth and eighth to turn in three-under 33 and one under for the tournament.

Casey's round then moved to another level on the back nine as he started a charge at Amen Corner by chipping in from the front edge of the 11th green.

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Paul Casey during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
Image: Casey takes his second shot on the 17th

He holed a 19-foot birdie putt at the 12th and followed that by eagling the 13th following a superb approach shot.

Another excellent iron shot set up a birdie at the 14th and he was not far away from a second eagle as he also birdied the 15th to send the statisticians racing for their record books.

However, Casey came unstuck with a bogey at the 17th after finding a greenside bunker with his second shot and he dropped another shot at the 18th by three-putting after boldly racing his birdie putt - for a share of the course record - past the hole.

Paul Casey reacts after bogeying the 17th during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club
Image: Casey reacts after bogeying the 17th

A 64 would have equalled the record for the lowest score in the fourth round of the Masters, a score that was achieved by Jordan Spieth later in the afternoon.

"That was fun, wasn't it? Birdie, birdie eagle on Amen Corner, I'm going to remember that for a long time," said Casey.

"I'm obviously disappointed. I got out of position horribly on 17 and 18 which was kind of reminiscent of how I played this week. Haven't been very good until that streak today.

"But to shoot 65 today, it would have been hard to turn that down. And it was fun thinking, I was fully aware of what was going on.

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"I pulled the tee shot on 16, but wanted to sneak one there, because that's always a gimme pin if you get that tee shot right and feed it around.

"I know 63 is the course record, 62 is the lowest ever in a major. So I was aware. Not particularly nervous, just kind of having a good time and obviously didn't do it, but it was fun."

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