Casey appeals for title sponsor to step up

Defending champion Paul Casey has appealed to companies to step up to the mark as title sponsors for next year’s Irish Open.

The European Tour event has been without a title sponsor since 2010 but has thrived nevertheless in terms of spectator support, drawn by the presence of a growing number of Irish Major champions and the financial assistance of Tourism Ireland.

Last year’s Irish Open winner, Casey remains in the hunt for a successful defence of the title he won at Carton House despite closing his second round at Fota Island yesterday with three consecutive bogeys. The Englishman still shot a two-under-par 69 that will take him into the weekend handily placed to make a challenge at a tournament he spoke about yesterday with real affection.

“I do like the golf course. I’ve loved the crowds the last two days. They have been phenomenal, as they always are in Ireland,” Casey said. “You can never fault the support from the Irish crowds.

“Just on that point, I hope we find a really good sponsor for this event. We’ve got the Irish tourist board this week helping us, they are our main sponsor, but we need somebody to step in.

“You look at it, it’s phenomenal. We have always had great crowds in Ireland and once again this week, they have proved their worth.”

Casey had been keeping pace with playing partner Graeme McDowell until finding a bunker short of the par-three seventh green when seven under par and just a shot behind the Portrush man. That led to a bogey and two more followed.

“A little bit frustrating, certainly the way I finished today,” he said. “We’ve had a cracking time out there the first two days. Would have been nice to roll in a few more birdies and keep the bogeys off the card but I’m still going to be in there for the weekend.”

Casey, though, is only too aware that he needs to stay on top of his game over the weekend just to keep pace with the leaders.

“You know, the golf course can yield a lot of birdies if you’re striking it well. But if you get on the wrong side of it, it can be treacherous.”