Casey’s Comeback Trial

SNUBBED Paul Casey could be back on the European Tour trail after overcoming painful injury, a loss of form and personal heartache to bounce back on the home and playing front.

Press reports suggest the man who once took control on the Royal Golf Club’s challenging Colin Montgomerie-designed course to collect a top trophy is ready to end his three-year exile and rejoin the fray.

The Arizona-based Englishman was badly missed at last year’s Ryder Cup at Hazeltine and on present form would certainly be an asset in Paris next year, pundits suggest. Casey gets on well with current captain Thomas Bjorn and the two have been in talks.

The 40-year-old, from Surrey, has also been impressed with the changes made by Tour chief executive Keith Pelley and recognises he has a big decision to make at the end of the year. “The change to four events from five to become a European Tour member is a big one for me,” said Casey who told reporters he ‘likes’ what he’s seeing.

Casey has not played in a home Ryder Cup since 2006, when he was one of the stars at the K Club as Europe dismantled the Americans. He was ranked seventh in the world when overlooked by Montgomerie in 2010 and was said to be ‘badly hurt’ by the snub.

His countryman Justin Rose said the vote of no-confidence ‘left a bit of a scar’ on his old friend.

Then life really got in the way, including injuries, divorce, and a touch of apathy. Casey still feels every step on the course, having worn out all of the cartilage in his right big toe. “It’s excruciating,” he admitted to one golfing magazine.

However, he has rebuilt his career successfully in America following a slump, and firmly established himself as one of the top 20 players in the world. He has won once Stateside to add to his 13 victories on the European tour, which included success in the ill-fated Volvo Golf Champions event staged in the kingdom shortly before the 2011 unrest.

Casey, picked up the BD143,000 first-prize and trophy with the very last shot of the competition, outduelling his playing partner, Swede Peter Hanson, by a single stroke in what was a nail-biting finish.

He also participated in the following year’s pro-celebrity weekend tournament organised by IMG Worldwide and the Bahrain Economic Development Board, ironically alongside Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn. Each professional golfer played in teams of two alongside British tennis idol Tim Henman, American football icon Joe Montana and football legends Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit.

Casey has since remarried, to the English TV personality Pollyanna Woodward. They have a young family and he gave up his Euro tour membership to reduce travel from his US home, which meant he was not eligible to play in the Ryder Cup.

Casey hasn’t given up, exactly, but he is comfortable with his changed priorities. “I’m very content with my life,” he said.
And yet now, suddenly, he has the chance to become the player many sports-lovers believe he was always supposed to be.

According to reports, he is seriously tempted to have a change of heart, which would make him eligible for the Ryder Cup, and the captian is hopeful.
“I don’t want to say too much but Paul is clearly in a very good place with his golf and he has some big decisions to make,” Bjorn said. “We have a very open dialogue and while we don’t know what the next 12 months will bring in golf terms, of course I’d like him to be available.”
Casey could rejoin in time for the qualifying events taking place in the build-up to the match, which will be weighted to reflect the fact the captain wants a team based on form. He will also have four wild cards to select.

Casey has 10 career top-10s at the majors, including at the last three Masters. This year at Augusta National he had six three-putts and finished five strokes behind Sergio Garcia, who had only one three-jack.

Of his lack of major championship hardware, Casey said: “I’ve got to the point it’s no longer a burden. I thought about it more a few years ago. To me I’m still inspired. I’m fully capable of doing it. I need a little bit of luck, I have to I admit. I have to play some great stuff and get a little fortunate.”