Casey closing in on Cup place
Paul Casey can take a massive step towards securing his place in the Ryder Cup team in the Celtic Manor Wales Open this weekend.
Casey went into today’s third round at Wentwood Hills just two shots behind surprise leader Simon Khan.
The 26-year-old from Surrey carded a flawless second-round 63 yesterday, a score which would have equalled the course record set by Australian Jarrod Moseley last year but for Khan’s heroics.
Khan fired a record-equalling front nine of 27 and threatened the first-ever round of 59 on the European Tour before having to settle for a 61.
It gave him a 14-under-par halfway total of 130 and puts him in pole position to claim his first European Tour title, but Casey leads a chasing pack which also sees Colin Montgomerie and 2003 rookie of the year Peter Lawrie in contention on nine under.
And a fourth tour victory for Casey tomorrow evening would go a long way to securing his Ryder Cup debut at Oakland Hills in September.
“My goal from the Deutsche Bank to after the Open was to pick up another €500,000 in total, rather than try to do it all in one week,” said Casey, who won four points out of four in Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup triumph in 1999.
“That is still the goal and if I can take a sizeable chunk out of it this week it will help.”
The first prize of €375,000 certainly represents a sizeable chunk and Casey will be a firm favourite given the fact Khan has never finished higher than fourth in his career.
“I have led a couple of times now and two or three times last year I thought I could have won so that will keep me in good stead,” said Khan, who was given a one-shot penalty for slow play during the third round of last week’s PGA Championship at Wentworth.
“It does not matter who is behind me, I am just going to try and enjoy it. I am normally good at getting over bad shots so why not get over the good stuff as well and get on with it?
“Yesterday’s round is done now and I will try and put in a couple of low ones over the weekend.”
Khan can at least take heart from last week’s shock winner Scott Drummond, and revealed he has been using a new Callaway putter he picked up on Sunday night after being inspired by Drummond’s victory.
“I said to my wife I played well at Wentworth but did not really hole a putt,” Khan added.
“She is pretty direct and said ‘it’s not going to get any better just sitting there talking about it’ so I got my putting track out on the carpet and hit about 300 putts that night.”
