Casey Explains: "I've been in too many hotel rooms wondering why I was there"
The decision to pass on extra travel days just to make himself Ryder Cup eligible is no doubt still leaving Team Europe perplexed, but Paul Casey explains his thinking and remains consistent in his reasoning.
Even if it doesn't it well with most of Europe or perhaps entirely tell the full story of his 2010 snub.
From Bob Harig's ESPN.com report:
"I've been in too many hotel rooms wondering why I was there,'' Casey said. "I felt many times like I was going through the motions, going to play to get a number. That is so against what it is to be a competitor.''
On the European Tour side, Casey needs five European starts. One would be the Ryder Cup itself. The Olympics, if he qualities, also counts. He could play the BMW PGA Championship and British Masters in his home country of England and be one tournament away, perhaps the Scottish Open or one of the Final Series events.
Casey said he's heard some of the rumblings concerning why he'd want to forego the Ryder Cup, but said his decision was not about that event.
"It's an unfortunate by-product of the decision I've made,'' he said. "It's purely about my family and spending quality time. The Ryder Cup is what's talked about, but this is not what this is about."
Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 09:08 PM
Reader Comments (36)
Just another tour player, nothing more, nothing less. Ten a penny these days. When he starts winning big, wake us up with the news he's a loss.
Here are some reasons it is not:
No one remembers statistics from the RC as they do from majors.
Bad shots are remembered good shots less so. (Langer's missed putt, Mahan's chip etc etc)
In the pairs matches you can let your partner down badly and look a complete jerk.
In the pairs matches your partner can let you down so the record doesn't reflect how well you played.
In the singles you can play really well and lose against someone who plays even better that day.
The hype, tears, uniforms, photos, press conferences are all too much for someone who would rather play strokeplay golf and go home.
The money is no good.
It's just an exhibition match between a continent and a nation.
There is stress on players to do well but with little payback unless the team wins.
There is a real downside for the losers, especially the captain.
Perhaps that's why Casey is happy to be out of it but cannot say so.
Finally, it is a team competition, not an exhibition. Bring it on !
YOU DON'T GET IT.
"There has to be better ways of not making a living".
Classic line.
The same can be said for the Olympics. TV audience numbers will determine player sponsor value, which will determine the incentive that players have to participate. In both cases, if TV/advertising revenue ever drops significantly, we're likely to see players declining to play.
It has its place for X years, but when you get tired of it, you really can't stand it.
Keith Pelley seems to...
Good for him choosing to put family first. The Ryder Cup is great, but the way the Europeans build it up is just too much. No one event- not Augusta, not the Ryder Cup- should take precedent in a player's career. Life goes on and so will his golf career. If Paul Casey wins a couple majors and never plays another Ryder Cup he'll have had a very successful career.
The pro golfer who is a star in the RC, but struggles and cannot win a major, e.g., Colin Montgomerie, will always be remembered first as "couldn't win a major."
Contrast that to the guy who wins a couple of majors, but has a lousy RC record. Will he be primarily known as "couldn't get it done in the Ryder Cup?".
Why is playing in the Ryder Cup worthwhile for a pro?
Mainly perhaps, because like Mount Everest, it's there.
Is that the way you think about Colin Montgomerie? It certainly is not the way I think about him.
A very good way of putting it, +1