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BMW INTERNATIONAL OPENJune 19, 2012Paul CaseyCOLOGNE, GERMANY Q. What did you do? Did you watch it? PAUL CASEY: I actually did, yeah. I mean, I was‑‑ in the beginning I was pulling for Westy, Westy to win. At the end of it, pulling for G‑Mac and a few other guys, as well. I did watch it. Q. You wanted to be there, didn't you? PAUL CASEY: I wanted to be there. It wasn't riveting, you know what I mean. I like birdies when I'm watching golf. I want birdies. It was a guy shouting "mashed potato" in it, what was that all about (laughter). Q. Not many birdies as you said, a rare eagle, an albatross. PAUL CASEY: I always liked it when there's a spread of scores on every hole. Again, you keep pulling up Augusta, but you get Augusta, 13 or something, you have guys making eagles or doubles or triple and U.S. Open it seems like you're somewhere between par and double. Q. First six holes were about 1,400 over par the first six holes the first two days. Five toughest holes on the course were the first six. PAUL CASEY: That's nice, isn't it. Q. Would you like to make some birdies this week? PAUL CASEY: I haven't played this in donkeys. I was reminded I played with Stephen Leaney a in the final round in 2002, because Stephen, the caddie, big Stevie, the cat, he caddied for Leaney. He said I was very gracious in defeat. Oh, thanks, Stevie. I shot 63 around here once. I'm not sure if that's still a course record, or even if it is the course record. But we have got a different course this week. They have switched around three of the holes so I guess that counts for nothing, doesn't it. I think I'm done with the recovery. I just need to get the golf game back now. I just need to play. I'm planning on playing here and obviously France. We'll see whether I throw in the Scottish. We'll see how I feel. See how I play. Q. How disappointing was it not to play last week? PAUL CASEY: There's not many majors‑‑ there's not that many you're going to play in your career. You play 20 years, 18 majors. Q. How many have you missed? PAUL CASEY: Majors or tournaments? Q. Majors. PAUL CASEY: Through injury? I did the ribs and I had to miss the US PGA. So maybe only two. That's not that bad, actually. I guess if you miss two in your entire career through injury, that's actually not that bad, because guys‑‑ Tiger's missed probably more than two with his injuries. He missed a good six months or so, didn't he. Q. Are you doing any goal‑setting? PAUL CASEY: There's always goals. Yeah, not going easy on myself on the golf course. So the goals‑‑ Q. Bring the immediate intensity? PAUL CASEY: Just go out and make a bunch of birdies and enjoy it on the golf course and from there, just start cranking up the intensity and focus. Q. Is it ‑‑ inaudible. PAUL CASEY: It just needs massage and sort of fascia work, that sticky right layer under the muscles. Q. Cutting down your practise? PAUL CASEY: A little bit. One of the problems with the right side switching off is the left side, actually, got too active to try and compensate. That's what I'm fighting right now, even though the shoulder is feeling really good. So if I over‑practise, then that still wants‑‑ so I've actually got to calm the left side down and get the left side working correctly. So, yeah, just practise smart really. It's not a case of hitting a lot of golf balls. The whole game needs sharpening up. I think it's just playing. That's why I'm just excited to play. I might go play Scottish if I feel good and if it works and the weather forecast is right. Q. Did you play last year? PAUL CASEY: No, I didn't. Again, somebody said it's a great golf course for bashing out there and making birdies, and that's what I want to do. Q. And Lytham? PAUL CASEY: I played there a couple of months ago. It's not one I remember. I won an English amateur around there years many ago, beat Gary Wolstenholme, I think 3 & 2. Q. Fond memories going back there? PAUL CASEY: It is fond memories, but it was a make your number going out and hang onto it going home, if the prevailing wind is where it should be. And holes like 6, 6 should be a short par 5 and 7 should be a short par 5 and you make your numbers there. But now 6 is a ridiculously long par 4, impossible, and 7 is another 40 yards longer, new green. Then there's a new tee on 11 and various other holes, so it's not a sort of easy front nine, tough back nine, classic make a bunch of fours coming in as the greats have done to hang in. You can't do that anymore. You have to hang on all over the place. It looks very different. It will be interesting. But as Opens should be, it's all about the weather. If we get good weather, then it will be very enjoyable. If we get tough weather, I think it's one of the toughest courses we play in The Open rota. Q. So a good week here can help sort of kick‑start your season? PAUL CASEY: Yeah, my season starts now. Q. How many seasons have you had this year? PAUL CASEY: I've had a lot of seasons, thank you. We did this in China. It's all good. Q. Olazábal was very complimentary down in Wales, very supportive. PAUL CASEY: If I get going, I still firmly believe I can qualify; of course I can qualify for the team. It's a case of winning golf events and that's all I can focus on. I'm not going to focus on the alternative, which is not making the team. Q. (Would you want to be there as a vice captain)? PAUL CASEY: No, I've not been asked that, but I would. Yeah, I want to be there. I want to be there as a player but‑‑ but yeah, I would. That's not my decision but I would throw it out there and I would talk to him about it. But right now that's not the conversation we've had and I'm not about to go up to him and say that. Q. So you throw your hat in the ring for captaincy in the Daily Record tomorrow. PAUL CASEY: Don't do that to me yet! Wait a couple of months. (Laughter). Ollie, he's great, he's going to be a great captain, and I love being around him. He's so positive. He's one guy that's made everybody cry in Ryder Cup Team rooms with the inspirational speeches, whenever he did that‑‑ at K Club, as well, he did it, when he was playing. Very, very powerful words. Obviously the team is going to be strong. Q. Do you lookto see who is on the team? PAUL CASEY: I don't look to see who is in the team and where I stand‑‑ you start winning golf events, you'll start getting me‑‑ I don't know, does it look good, the team? I don't even know who is in it. Q. Paul Lawrie is at the top. PAUL CASEY: Any surprises? Q. Nicolas Colsaerts. PAUL CASEY: I think Colsaerts is a really good player. I played with him in China and I was really impressed. He's one of the best‑ball strikers‑‑ one of the best‑ball strikers in the world, any tour. The length is just prodigious. Q. Formidable? Intimidating? PAUL CASEY: Look at you. (Laughing). I don't know what's changed, because he's still the same guy I remember, good attitude. I don't know whether there's a change in the way he's been working or the way he's approached things or what, different coach or something. Q. Did you have a moment in your career when you realised‑‑ PAUL CASEY: Back in 2009, yeah. Q. Not quite Monty‑esque. PAUL CASEY: It was the sort of realisation and acceptance of what I'm capable of on the golf course. Once you get to that point, playing that sort of golf, whatever your level is, when you start feeling comfortable with it and accepting of it, then I'm always at that level. You never seem to drop down. So even if you're struggling with injuries, form comes and go; you're always, I'm that, I've been 3 in the world. There's no reason why‑‑ nothing is going to stop me from getting there or being better. Q.  So as long as you acknowledge it and grow into it and keep going? PAUL CASEY: Yeah. Q. How old are you? PAUL CASEY: That's a personal question. Why don't you look it up you lazy‑‑ 34. 35 in July, week of The Open. Look at Westy, he started coming around, his sort of second wind. It's five years or so he's been churning out good stuff, really good stuff. There's no reason why he can't do another ten years. Plenty of guys playing great golf in their 40s. Vijay won 20 times in his 40s. That's an interesting‑‑ not interesting; it shows his intent, doesn't it, moving to the States. Q. Where did you watch the U.S. Open from? PAUL CASEY: From the U.K. I actually stayed up. I was still jet‑lagged. I was still on U.S. time, so it wasn't that difficult. Q. Terribly anticlimactic, let's be honest. PAUL CASEY: When NBC put the troll up where Graeme McDowell needs to hit the putt on 18 you saw the ball start off a foot left from there, you instantly knew. I don't know. It's rare I watch golf, so I really‑‑ Butch was really good. I think Butch does a good job. Q. Monty's good. PAUL CASEY: He just talked about acceleration all the time. Q. Thoughts on the BMW International Open? PAUL CASEY: It's a great event. BMW put on great events. Probably the best; well, their continued support of the Tour and worldwide golf, not just here in Europe. They have got four events worldwide. I don't think anybody else can even shake a stick at that. That's a good quote, isn't it. But you're right, the way they put it on. Q. Noticeable difference, isn't it? PAUL CASEY: It is the quality of the staging. I know the players enjoy it. I hope the crowds enjoy it. I think that's shown my the number of people that turn up. I hear ticket sales are huge already, hometown for Kaymer. March could he does a bloody good job on his team. It's interesting being back here. I think it is a good move. It's 25 years next year; we are going to be donning Lederhosen for the entire week next year; that's going to be brilliant. Q. It's good to rotate it, isn't it, the championship. PAUL CASEY: I think golf‑‑ well, I don't know what it was like when Langer was at his prime, but it's a bigger game. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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