Casey shoots 64 as Tiger slips

Paul Casey is looking to celebrate winning a second Ryder Cup cap in real style tomorrow after producing a mightily impressive 64 in the third round of the Bridgestone world championship in Akron.

Casey goes into the closing 18 holes in joint second place – and the man he is one behind in the race for a first prize of almost £700,000 (€1m) is not Tiger Woods.

Between chipping in at the third and 17th halfway pacesetter Woods had four successive bogeys and his 71 was his first over par score in the last 18 rounds he has played.

Top of the board now is Stewart Cink, whose own 64 gave him the chance for a notable double. He won the title two years ago six days after being given a Ryder Cup wild card and could do the same now.

Woods is joint second with not only Casey, but also Davis Love – the biggest name left out by American captain Tom Lehman at the start of the week.

Casey, eight under par with a round to go, and playing partner Thomas Bjorn had a better-ball score of 59 and the Dane’s 67 for a share of 10th keeps alive his chances of climbing into the Ryder Cup top 10 at next week’s BMW International in Munich.

“Paul played some of the better golf I’ve seen in a long time,” said Bjorn. “He played unbelievable all day.”

Casey, who a year ago was still struggling his way out of a nightmare slump, commented: “I told you last week my form was coming round.

“I’m just trying to focus on this week. The Ryder Cup is just a by-product from playing well this year. I hope to seal my spot tomorrow, but the primary objective is to shoot another good score.”

On Woods’ problems Casey added: “I think that was a bit of a shock for everybody. Thomas noticed it first – he said the tournament has really opened up.”

Paul McGinley, meanwhile, is yet again preparing himself for a “dogfight” in Germany – and it’s a fight Ian Poulter hopes he might still be part of.

Much though he would love to have sewn up a third Ryder Cup cap by now, McGinley’s struggles (after a 70 today he is joint 69th of the 78 players) means everything will be on the line in a week’s time at the final qualifying event.

McGinley went to the BMW International Open uncertain of his place in 2001 and 2004 and survived the ordeal to earn his place on the European team.

“It’s not a pleasurable experience, but it’s also a positive that I’ve come through it twice,” said the man who sank the winning putt against the Americans four years ago and then was unbeaten in the record-breaking victory last time.

McGinley played his last 17 holes today in two under par, but having started the third round just as he ended the second – with a double bogey – he stayed on the 12 over par mark for the week.

“I’m fighting for every shot. Every $500 or $1,000 counts. I’m doing it the hard way and I’ve only got myself to blame. I’ve not played well enough.”

McGinley, ninth in the cup standings, said the atmosphere with Swede Johan Edfors was “like playing in a funeral parlour” compared to his first two rounds alongside Woods.

“None of it is his fault, but it’s a bit like a circus playing with Tiger. I can’t use that as an excuse and I’m very disappointed with the scores I shot (77-75).

“It was a learning experience and I enjoyed playing with him, but I just wanted to get finished at the end.” That took an extra 45 minutes, however, after Woods amazingly hit on to the clubhouse roof at the final hole of their second round.

“It’s going to be a dogfight next week, a shoot-out like it always is there. I’ll just try to get to 20 under as quickly as possible.”

Poulter, meanwhile, needs a top-six finish tomorrow just to retain any interest in the points standings and a 67 lifted him to joint 17th on one under.

“Five or six under tomorrow and I might still do it,” he said after a round which nearly ended disastrously for him.

“Playing my second to the last I could see a bit of tree root close to the ball. I had to commit to the shot and nearly broke my wrist. It could have been really nasty.”

The man immediately behind McGinley on the table, Jose Maria Olazabal, was going well after 36 holes, two under par and joint 11th, but he fell back to 33rd by managing only a 74.

If the Spaniard does not make it into the top 25 tomorrow he will remain 10th on the table – and he is not playing in Munich.

McGinley’s hopes of being part of the side for the first match on Irish soil therefore still look good. Eleventh-placed Paul Broadhurst did not qualify for this week’s tournament and, with the Irishman guaranteed at least £16,000 (€23,658), he will have to finish first or second in Germany.

Broadhurst might not be the biggest danger, though. Bjorn is 15th on the table and has the chance to make a sizeable dent into his deficit tomorrow.