US PGA Tour: Paul Casey landed his maiden US PGA Tour victory on Sunday night at the Shell Houston Open with a play-off win over JB Holmes. Casey reached the winner's circle in the United States for the first time in 77 starts at the age of 31 when he defeated his American rival at the first sudden-death hole.

"It's really difficult to explain," an emotional Casey told NBC Television.

"When you get introduced on the first tee here and you're playing with Geoff Ogilvy and they're going through all the accomplishments Geoff had had and I'm thinking 'come on, at least mention, you know, something'.

"But I hadn't done anything yet out here. This is the first win and it's fantastic."

The Englishman had led by a stroke going to the 18th hole with Holmes having finished some two hours and 40 minutes earlier with a 69 to get to 11 under.

But after two-putting for bogey and a final-round, level-par 72 to finish on 11 under he went back to the 18th tee for sudden death with Holmes.

Mistakes from both in the approach meant Holmes got onto the green in four, and when he came up short with his 45-foot bogey putt Casey was left with two putts for victory from 28 feet.

His first putt rolled up to within two feet and Casey holed out for victory.

"That was rough," Holmes said of his play-off tee shot which found the water, "but that's part of it. It just wasn't to be this week and I hadn't set for a while but it just comes down to a bad shot."

In failing to win Holmes also missed out on a spot at next week's Masters.

"That's frustrating," he said, "but there'll be more."

US veteran and former Masters champion Fred Couples had led the tournament at 12 under for much of the final round before bogeying the final three holes to finish with a 74 at nine under par.

Casey had been one of six co-leaders at 11 under par when the third round was completed early on Sunday, with 19 players within three shots of the lead.

Casey, Australia's Geoff Ogilvy and American Colt Knost maintained the lead they had shared with Tommy Armour III and John Senden at the halfway mark, each firing third-round, three-under-par 69s.

They were joined by Americans Bo Van Pelt and the 49-year-old Couples, who shot 68s and their compatriot Ryan Moore, who posted a 67.

Casey, a winner in Abu Dhabi in January and losing finalist at the WGC-Accenture Match Play final on March 1, ran into trouble with a bogey at the par-four second but responded with a birdie three at the third while Couples and Knost had moved into the lead at 12 under.

Couples found water at the eighth on the way to a bogey six to share the lead with Casey at 11 under, while Knost double bogeyed the fifth to fall to 10 under.

Holmes took the clubhouse lead at 11 under while Casey pulled level with Couples at 12 under when he birdied the par-five 13th and then found himself in the outright lead when the American bogeyed the 16th as Holmes returned to the driving range in anticipation of a play-off.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson tied with Couples and Australia's Nick O'Hern for third place following a closing 70 with Australian Geoff Ogilvy in a five-way tie for sixth place at eight under alongside Americans Tommy Armour III, Jason Bohn, Mahan and John Mallinger.

Lee Westwood of England closed out with a 74 to finish in a tie for 11th at seven under while another Englishman, Brian Davis was at six under alongside Ernie Els, Robert Karlsson, amongst others in a tie for 14th.

Northern Ireland's Ryan McIlroy tuned up for his Masters debut next week with a tie for 19th on five under, rallying after rounds of 73 and 74 with a closing 69.

Padraig Harrington was another victim at the 18th, finding the water twice, off the tee and after chipping from right rough over the green. Yet the Open and US PGA champion finished with a broad grin after chipping from the left rough from 36 feet for a double bogey six and a final round of 77 that sent him to four under.

Germany's Martin Kaymer ended his week with a 75 at two under while England's Justin Rose shot a 73 to finish at level par.

Daniel Chopra of Sweden was eight over for his last round at one over for the week while Greg Norman's tournament unravelled in the final round as the 54-year-old shot an 81 to finish at three over while Garcia's torrid afternoon also ended with an 81 to leave him at seven over.