Golf: Paul Casey places Ryder Cup return high on list of targets

Published on Saturday 24 December 2011 04:28

FRUSTRATED for much of this year by a lingering foot injury, Paul Casey has set his sights on a healthy 2012 campaign, another victory on the US PGA Tour and a long coveted return to the European Ryder Cup team.

Though the Englishman won two tournaments in 2011, his form and consistency were adversely affected by a sore right toe, which was never accurately diagnosed until months later.

?It?s been incredibly frustrating,? Casey said. ?The trouble with the injury was that I picked it up in late May, battled through it and didn?t get a full diagnosis until August. By then, it was too late to take a medical [exemption] so I tried to play through it and got into a lot of bad habits.?

An 11-times winner on the European Tour, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2009 Houston Open, Casey played with a plate in his right shoe and his toes taped up over the last six months.

?A joint in my foot wasn?t allowing my foot to move correctly and that put pressure on my toe,? the world number 21 said. ?What?s interesting is that if I swing the club correctly and the way I used to swing it, the toe is fine. But that led to erratic golf. My weight got back on the heels and the club started to go up rather than around. Very simply, it was too steep.?

Casey has worked hard to shift his weight back on to his toes, and on to the balls of the feet.

?That?s where it should be,? he said. ?I need to do a better job of turning because I ended up hitting the ball with the hands and the arms this year a lot. I just need to put those things right.?

Of his 2011 campaign, Casey added: ?I?ve managed to win twice around the world, but not on the PGA Tour, and I?ve sort of clung on to a world ranking. I am still ranked twenty-something and that?s with playing very average golf for me. Touch wood, I can stay healthy and 2012 can be a great season.?

An inveterate goal setter whose most recent victory came at the Korean tour?s Shinhan Donghae Open in October, Casey has established clear-cut targets for next year.

?My very lofty goals I haven?t yet achieved so they?re going to be the same in 2012, and those will be the majors and World Golf [Championships] events,? he said. ?But I have other goals ... winning tournaments, winning a certain number of world ranking points, making the Ryder Cup team, being back in the winner?s circle on the PGA Tour.?

Casey is especially motivated to represent Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois, having failed to qualify for the 2010 team that regained the trophy at Celtic Manor in Wales.

?I am really hungry to get back on that team,? said the 34-year-old. ?With the depth of talent in Europe, it?s probably going to be the most difficult team to make since I?ve been on tour.?

Source: http://www.scotsman.com/golf_paul_casey_places_ryder_cup_return_high_on_list_of_targets_1_2023877

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