Casey looks shaky ahead of Open

Paul Casey might appear like a lamb to the slaughter entering the US Open at Pinehurst today.

Seven months on from winning the World Cup for England with Luke Donald, Casey’s game has looked in recent weeks to be in no shape to take on what Vijay Singh calls the toughest US Open course he has ever seen.

The 27-year-old Ryder Cup star is an horrific 31 over par for his last six rounds, slumping to an 80 at the Forest of Arden to miss the halfway cut in the British Masters and then having two rounds of 78 in the BMW Championship at Wentworth.

His last appearance in the United States was the Masters in April – and his problems were apparent there as well in rounds of 79 and 78.

But whatever the next two or four days hold for him Casey is convinced the worst is behind him.

“It wasn’t fun for a while. It can’t be when you don’t know where the ball is going to go,” he said.