Paul Casey rose to third place in the world rankings and surged to the top of the European tour's money list after winning the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday.

The Englishman got up and down from a greenside bunker on the last to win by one shot from compatriot Ross Fisher, who started the day four shots back and almost closed the gap with a fine 64.

That forced Casey to birdie both the closing par fives but he held his nerve to pocket a winner's cheque for 750,000 euros.

Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen finished in third place, four shots behind Casey after a closing 69.

It was Casey's third win of the year following his victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship in January and maiden win on the US tour at the Houston Open in April.

The 31-year-old player's nerve was tested fully when his approach to the final hole found sand at the side of the green. He splashed out to five feet and holed the putt.

"It was not an easy putt, but any putt to win is something I would like to have," he said. "There are great names on this trophy and it feels great."

Casey is only the fourth Briton to have made it into the world's top three since the rankings were introduced in 1986, following in the footsteps of Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam.

Of that quartet, only Montgomerie has not won a major and that will be the next objective for Casey as he prepares for the upcoming US Open and July's British Open at Turnberry.

Fisher's final round will have exorcised his demons from 2007, when he led this tournament with a round to play only to slump to 39th spot with a final round 84.

He was 20 shots better on Sunday and could have equalled the West Course record if he had been able to hole an 18-foot eagle putt on the last green.

Even Fisher could not match the closing pyrotechnics of 2003 British Open winner Ben Curtis, who birdied the 15th and 16th and then eagled the two closing par fives for a 67 and joint sixth place.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez was never in contention but had the consolation of an albatross after he holed his 206-yard six-iron second to the long fourth.