Casey left in tears as fans guide him home
WINNING IN FRONT OF CROWD ‘WAS SO COOL’
PAUL CASEY claimed he has fallen back in love with golf after winning in front of fans in Dubai.
The Ryder Cup star admitted 2020 had been “rubbish” and “soulless” playing behind closed doors during the pandemic.
But the Arizona-based Briton said the limited crowds at the Emirates Golf Club inspired him to a four-shot victory that will boost his Ryder Cup hopes.
An emotional Casey, who broke down in tears after his 15th European Tour win, said: “I didn’t set foot in Europe last year, let alone the UK.
“Weirdly, when we started playing golf again in the States with no fans, there was a part of me that thought, ‘This could be interesting, might be enjoyable’.
“I’ve not enjoyed a minute of it. It’s been totally soulless. No emotion. A whole bunch of feelings. I played well one week but that was about it.
“I’ve realised how much I love doing what I do, but I love doing it with people watching and the crowd and the noise.
“It can be heckling, it can be cheering and seeing the emotion on people’s faces. It’s everything. That’s part of what we do.
“Mental health is something that’s never talked about in sport. Beef [Andrew Johnston] talked about it a little bit. It’s just not been a fun time, plain and simple.
“But there were some people out there this week, that was so cool.
“To come from not enjoying my golf to now here, I am rejuvenated. Great sponsors, new equipment and a couple of people standing around a golf course – I feel totally different.”
USPGA runner-up Casey carded a 70 to finish on 17 under par, four strokes clear of South Africa’s Brandon Stone and five in front of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.
Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington was among the first to congratulate him at the end.
And Casey will now go to the Saudi International this week, having turned down previous invites, in pursuit of more Ryder Cup qualifying points.
“I’d love to be part of his team in any capacity,” said the 43-year-old of making the grade for Harrington, left. “I also hope that we have got a ton of fans. I didn’t make the team technically on merit in 2018 for Thomas Bjorn and I want to make the team. “I don’t like being a pick if I can help it.” Casey, whose Dubai triumph enabled him to equal Harrington and former captain Bjorn for tour victories, believes rising 24-year-old star MacIntyre would be a worthy addition to Europe’s line-up in September. “He’s got a very strong possibility of being in Paddy’s Ryder Cup team,” said Casey.
“He was brilliant. He was great to play with, if anything he helped me.
“I would feel very comfortable standing next to him on the first tee at Whistling Straits. “And he’s only going to get better and better.”