However, the Ryder Cup star also went through a miserable slump in the middle of the year where he was 55 over par for nine rounds of golf, including a first-round 85 in the US Open.

He dropped from 29th in the world at the start of the year to outside the top 60, costing him the chance to defend the World Cup title he won with Luke Donald in Seville last season.

But yesterday’s play-off victory over Oliver Wilson in Shenzhen – the second event of the 2006 schedule – has given the 28-year-old renewed confidence as he targets a return to the all-important top 50 in the world and a second Ryder Cup appearance at the K Club.

“I’m very happy with my game and I felt very relaxed all week even though there was pressure to perform and be near the top of the leaderboard,” said Casey, whose victory in March also came in a play-off.

“I’m really looking forward to a fun 2006 season. I struggled for form in 2005 and teeing it up in the HSBC Champions event a fortnight ago felt like starting with a clean slate. It’s strange how that has turned my game around nicely.

“I feel very energised about everything.”

Casey overturned a five-shot overnight deficit to claim his fifth European Tour title with a birdie at the first extra hole.

He set the clubhouse target on 13 under par after a superb closing 65, but thought his missed birdie putt on the 18th would prove costly and that looked like being the case when Wilson birdied four holes in a row from the 12th to lead by one with just two holes to play.

But the 25-year-old from Mansfield bogeyed the 17th as he went for the birdie he thought he needed, and also failed to birdie the par-five 18th after running just through the green with his approach.

The players returned to the 18th for sudden death and Casey two-putted from 25 feet for birdie after Wilson stumbled from one greenside bunker into another to card a bogey six.

“I’m very happy, I feel I’ve accomplished what I came here to do but it wasn’t easy,” said Casey, who felt his chance of victory was gone after trailing by eight shots at halfway.

“The game improved as the week went on and the final day was a really solid round of golf. I gave myself lots of chances but I was very fortunate to get that chance at the end to go into a play-off.

“Before I went off to the range I saw Oliver had birdied three holes in a row so I really thought I might not need to warm up because I might not be needed.

“But it’s a tricky golf course and I’ve made enough bogeys this week to know it’s not over until it’s over.”

For Wilson – who was within seconds of being penalised a shot for slow play along with playing partner Ross Fisher – it was another near miss after several top-10 finishes in his rookie season, but the former Walker Cup winner said: “I’m on track.

“My time is going to come soon. I’ve only been on tour for about a year. There’s plenty of time and hopefully it will be soon. I actually played awfully on the last day and to be in this position when not everything was going right is good.

“I know I’m capable of doing it and this is my best finish by a long way. I thought I had it in my hands and didn’t look at the leaderboards.

“Seventeen was really the one. If I had parred that I would have been safe but I didn’t know that at the time and I was trying to make birdie.”