If Paul Casey clinches the European tour Order of Merit in Spain this weekend it will be a quite stunning achievement – and not just because of the calibre of player he is up against.

Before the final of last week's World Match Play Championship, Paul Casey was asked whether he would prefer to win at Wentworth or lift the Ryder Cup. Now he has one, he would love the other.

Ryder Cup team-mates Paul Casey and Paul McGinley heaped praise on European Order of Merit leader David Howell after the Englishman raced to the front at the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan.