Martin Dempster: Paul Casey back on track

YOU won’t see Paul Casey at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play or Dunhill Links Championship over the coming weeks and months.

Paul Casey: Career boost. Picture: Getty

It’s down to the fact that the Englishman isn’t a European Tour member this season, having decided to focus on the PGA Tour to try to re-ignite his career after missing the last three Ryder Cups. It’s a move that has paid off because, on the back of getting into a play-off for the Travelers Championship with Bubba Watson on Sunday, Casey is up to 23rd in the world rankings.

He’s England’s second-highest player in those standings behind world No 7 Justin Rose and doesn’t look as though he’s finished yet. Casey is back to his best, a level that is good enough to make him a major contender.

It’s a pity, of course, that he won’t be at Gullane next week, but, boy, is he heading to St Andrews with a spring in his step for the following week’s Open Championship.

It seems inconceivable that Casey won’t take up his European Tour membership next year so that he can be eligible for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.

And, though he’s made life more difficult for himself by missing out on the start of the qualifying campaign and the lucrative Final Series at the end of this season, Casey is already looking a good bet to make Darren Clarke’s side in Minnesota.