Ryder Cup provides extra incentive as title holder bids to stay in contention

Ryder Cup watch: England’s Paul Casey needs a massive weekend to successfully defend the Irish Open, but he’s got plenty of motivation as he chases a return to the European Ryder Cup team.

A second successive 69 leaves him six shots behind leader Mikko Ilonen on four under par but with 333,330 Ryder Cup points up for grabs at Fota Island, Casey can at least put himself on the periphery of contention for a spot on Paul McGinley’s European team.

“In my mind, I’m certainly not far enough up that list to be kind of in consideration currently,” Casey said. “That’s my feeling. I don’t know where I am on the list. Probably five, six guys have almost solidified their place by now, something like that.

“I need to play some stellar stuff. Flat out, I need to win at least one big one or a couple of others by the cut-off. I think it’s plain and simple. And even that doesn’t guarantee anything. I’ve not really chucked it together for four days like I would have liked to. I think I need to step it up a little bit between now and then.”

Casey will likely need a brace of 66s at worst to become the first man to retain the Irish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1997. He’s not lacking in motivation.