Jeju, South Korea: England’s Paul Casey said on Friday he would not rush into a decision on whether to make himself available for the European Ryder Cup team in Paris next year.
But he admitted a change of eligibility rules to reduce the number of events he needed to play could tempt him to rejoin.
World number 14 Casey is not a member of the European Tour but said he could afford to wait until next year to rejoin and still be eligible for the Ryder Cup in September 2018.
Earlier this week captain Thomas Bjorn declared Casey would be “a fantastic asset” for the European team against the United States.
“I’m deciding,” Casey said in an exclusive interview at the CJ Cup in Jeju Island after he shot a second-round 71 on Friday for a share of 30th place.
“I need to be a member by next year — I think the cut off is May,” said Casey, who added that he probably wouldn’t leave it that late because he would lose too many Ryder Cup points.
“I’ve got to look at things. I haven’t spent too much time doing it because I can’t join anyway right now until their season is done.”
The European Tour season finishes with the DP world Tour Championship in Dubai next month and the 2018 season begins at the Hong Kong Open on November 23.
The new rules being introduced by European Tour CEO Keith Pelley mean he would only have to play four events outside the four majors and four WGC events — down from the current five.
‘A decent change’
“Pelley is changing it down to four next year and that’s a decent change,” said Casey who confirmed he was in constant discussions with European captain Bjorn.
“You know Thomas has been working me very hard. He’s a hard man to say no to. He’s very big,” said Casey with a smile.
“Seriously, I’ve got a good relationship with Thomas and I’ve got a good relationship with Pelley as well.
“I’ve got to sit down and think about it. To be honest it’s been so busy with FedEx Cup and Tour champs.”
Casey, who is now 40, decided to play solely on the US PGA Tour three years ago, primarily to cut down on travelling for family reasons when his wife Pollyanna Woodward was expecting their first child, Lex.
They live in Arizona and Pollyanna last month gave birth to their second child, daughter Astaria, while Casey was away embroiled in trying to win the FedEx Cup.
Bjorn acknowledged the dilemma for Casey. “He wants to be a part of it, but he really has for a while tried to prioritise his family and any man has to respect that some people make those priorities,” said Bjorn in Paris on Monday.
“But having him in the Ryder Cup team would be a fantastic asset if he plays the way he is at the moment.”
Former world number three Casey won five points in three Ryder Cups from 2004-2008 including a match-winning hole-in-one at the 14th hole at Ireland’s K Club in 2006.
He was controversially overlooked for a wild card by Colin Montgomerie in 2010 when ranked in the world’s top 10 and hasn’t played in the biennial event since. — AFP
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