Casey gracious after snub

Englishman misses out on Ryder Cup wildcard

Last updated: 30th August 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Casey gracious after snub

Casey: Ryder Cup absence

It was an odd occasion. On one hand I'm happy for myself, but I did genuinely feel sorry for Paul.

Padraig Harrington
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Paul Casey wished Europe all the best for the Ryder Cup after being overlooked for a wildcard.

Casey kept his composure in interviews after playing the final round of the FedEx Cup play-off event with Padraig Harrington - chosen by European captain Colin Montgomerie along with Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari.

The world number nine guessed he was out of the team when Harrington's wife Caroline said nothing after giving her husband's caddie the thumbs-up on the course.

"I've not really officially heard and I haven't looked yet to see if I have a text or voice message, but I saw Caroline gave Ronan (Flood) the thumbs up on the seventh hole and then it went fairly quiet," said Casey.

"I figured that was it. Caroline's a great friend - she would have said something to me if I had been picked, so at that point I kind of knew that I hadn't.

"Surprise? I just got off the golf course. I was trying to keep my composure and put in a solid performance today.

"I probably need time to take it in. Simple fact is I'm not on the team.

"I think Europe have got an unbelievable team. I wish them the best for the match, simple as that.

"I'm not going to stand here and sort of plead a case for why I should be on the team. It's done and dusted. I tried my hardest and I didn't make it.

"I wasn't picked. I didn't qualify automatically. I wish I had. Coming off last year being injured, you're not making any points - really last year hurt my ability to qualify automatically for the team.

"My best wishes go to the team and I'll be supporting them in the match and I want them to win."

Difficult

Harrington commented: "It was going to be a difficult situation. As I've said all along, if you don't qualify for the team you don't have an automatic right to be on the team.

"I think Edoardo Molinari did an incredible job birdieing the last three holes to force his hand and fair play to him. The picks are generally reserved not for rookies, but by God did he deserve to get that pick.

"But obviously that left a very awkward situation and there's two good players who would have added to the team in any other year.

"On my own side, maybe it was obviously experience as the team is a young team. I won't normally play the age card, but this time it obviously suits me.

"You can go to the ends of the earth to try and say that one player is going to be of any benefit to the team more than another player. You know, there's pros and cons for both sides and it's tough on the two boys.

"My own head was swimming a bit out there. I couldn't do much right for about five or six holes.

"It was an odd occasion. On one hand I'm happy for myself, but I did genuinely feel sorry for Paul.

"There's no doubt myself and Paul, Justin and Luke, we didn't play enough in Europe to make it on the team automatically."

Harrington wanted to know as soon as his wife outside the ropes heard.

"If she didn't talk to me for three or four holes I would know the other way. Somebody was going to shout it out to me, so I might as well have my wife tell me. She was getting a text.

"I commiserated with Paul. It's not a nice place to be."

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Comments (32)

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Martin Loxley says...

Personally I''d have picked Rose, Casey and Harrington.

Posted 23:52 1st September 2010

Fergus Weldrick says...

I''m Irish, and i would not have pick Harrington, but when i heard some of the trashy British media and commentary, and some of the nonesense written here, i feel it is my duty to point out some facts. Harrington has won 3 majors in the last four years (No other European player has done that), he has had 8 top ten finishes in the last three years in World Flagship golfing events, Harrington is the only player in the world to have been partnered with Tiger Woods in a tournament five or more times and to outscore him. Harrington has a 68.83 average in six rounds, compared with Woods'' average score of 69.50. The rest of the world''s top players averaged over 70. Harringtons record for the qualifying period: 2nd - 2010 3 Irish Open, 3T - 2009 Portugal Masters, 3T - 2010 WGC - CA Championship, 4T - 2009 Deutsche Bank Championship (US PGA Tour), 4T - 2009 The Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola (US PGA Tour), 4T - 2009 Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World, 5T - 2010 Travelers Championship (US PGA Tour), 6T - 2010 BMW PGA Championship, 6T - 2009 BMW Championship (US PGA Tour), 7T - 2010 Wells Fargo Championship (US PGA Tour), 8T - 2010 Transitions Championship (US PGA Tour), 9T - 2010 WGC - Bridgestone Invitational. For a fellow not playing well he sure looks like he''s playing well. Out of his 21 Ryder Cup Matches he has been paired against the World No.1 and No.2 nine times (more than any other european player). So are we really that surprised that Rose was overlooked? In my opion Casey was surpassed not by Harrington but by Molanari, any can anyone say that the other half of the world foursomes champions did not deserve to be there? I can''t! If the British Media take off the "rose coloured glasses", you can clearly see that Harrington was always going to be picked, with any other two!!! Should he have made sure to qualify automatically? Of course. Did he deserve his pick? Of course!!

Posted 16:41 1st September 2010

Z O''shea says...

Agree with many of the comments above but why are we discussing Casey for Harrington. Harrington has the intimidation factor, experience and the majors, surely we should be saying see you later to Donald who for me is at best average and say hello Casey who is great in match play and hits the ball a mile!!

Posted 14:36 31st August 2010

Dan Brunt says...

I don''t completely agree with the three picks. Molinari deserved his place for excellent recent form and in particular his Gleneagles win knowing he had to do so. Donald is a good solid player with no weakness to his game and therefore also derseves his spot. Casey is indeed a great matchplayer and would have been feared by the americans but I am more than happy he was snubbed after his arrogant smirk when interviewed after the open. He showed an attitude I have no interest in supporting. That leaves Harrington. While his three majors have to be respected all his success is built on an amazing short game and the ability to grind out pars on tough layouts. This doesn''t win fourballs matches at that level. His long game of late has been that of a mars bar selling club pro. I wouldn''t like to be paired with him in the foursome. His partners best start practicing there scrambling as they''ll be in parts of the course they haven''t seen for some time.

Posted 14:25 31st August 2010

James H says...

Mike Baudry - very simple fact for you..... Over the last 13 months Harrington has had more Top 10''s than Paul Casey & Justin Rose combined. Harrington 15 while Rose & Casey combined are 14 (8 & 6). Added to the fact that he has won more majors than the rest of the team combined, you might then please explain how the greatest European player of his generation "hasn''t done anything to deserve a pick"???????

Posted 11:49 31st August 2010

Peter Keely says...

i think many people are forgetting that monty has picked these players with an eye on who they will -without harrington who would you play against mickelson/woods no one european player comes to mind with the exception of poulter (who quite possibly could have thrived on the limelight). For those people who question harringtons record in the last 2 ryder cups look back and see who he played each time more often than not the top of the american order. I think with this team the younger more inexperienced ryder cup players will have a playing figurehead within the team which both rose and casey (with all due respect to their golfing ability) would not have given.

Posted 10:17 31st August 2010

Common Senser says...

A mighty difficult selection made easier by Eduardo''s fantastic finish...but this is exactly what match play is all about! you pull out all the stops yourself and don''t rely on anyone else...as did Miguel...changing his schedule to make certain. Paul Casey deselected himself in the TV interview after the open when he challenged monty to pick him as a wild card rather than do the job himself. As for the selection of Donald and particularly Harrington...bewildering...the reasoning also was out of line! However Justin...you also could have done more to make the spot certain for yourself but you didn''t! In terms of nationalities...the side has great balance with no one country dominating...Harrington...you owe somebody!...a true European side however...best of luck guys!

Posted 00:07 31st August 2010

Noel O''keeffe says...

How can anyone on here say that harrington should not be on the team. Its simply astounding. 3 majors. his stature in the game alone will intimidate the americans. The molinari brothers will be a fantastic combination. Casey has not played particularly well this year. No win. Monty picked the correct 3 wildcards.

Posted 23:14 30th August 2010

Dennis Morgan says...

I dont go for all this rubbish that Harrington is a 3 times major winner, he had to get the nod. What about Nick Faldo remember when he got dropped, he was a bigger winner than Harrington will ever would be, and he had a much better Ryder Cup record, but that didnt save him, so why should the poorer record of Harrington give him the choice, he''s good but not that good

Posted 22:11 30th August 2010

Brad Wilson says...

Look at the records. Even in his prime, Padraig had a poor record in the Ryder Cup. Casey''s Ryder Cup record and more especially, his Matchplay record are second to none. The vote had to go to Paul over Padraig......Hope Monty does not regret the call he''s made.

Posted 21:38 30th August 2010

Andrew Kenneally says...

How many Majors do the entire British contingent have against Harrington on his ownsome? Three to Harrington in the not at all very distant past, None in total to the Caseys & Roses, Poulters, etc. In fact not even one really credible challenge by Casey or Rose in a Major, & it''s supposed to be astounding that Harrington got the pick over people whose collective achivements he dwarfs.

Posted 21:07 30th August 2010

Aidan Lynam says...

seems to me there''s a lot of bad feeling towards padraig harrington. been chosen over casey / rose ...... form is temporary class is permanent ..... monty got it right when he stated .... not one of the americans will ( including mr woods ) will want to come up against harrington ..... with all due respects to casey / rose they just simply wouldnt put the same fear factor up to the americans .... the case is closed now .... now lets get on with it for golf''s sake

Posted 20:45 30th August 2010

Stan Davidson says...

Well done to Monty. The simple fact is that if the others had wanted it enough they would have got in. They set the Ryder Cup as a secondary priority and missed out. Monty has managed to not only send a message to the multi-millionaires (who are obviously in desperate need of that extra million that will be the difference between paying and not paying their winter fuel bill) and not compromising the overall strength of the team. Over the years, European teams that have been on paper inferior to their US opponents have triumphed through a mixture of teamwork and desire. Even though on paper things are now the other way Monty has not forgotten the value of desire and team spirit...

Posted 20:42 30th August 2010

Chris Lewis says...

Have to agree with some of the posts. If Casey and Rose were not English there would not be this debate. Casey has not won in a year and has always bottled it whenever he has been in contention for a big win as proved at this year''s Open. Out of the four at the Fed Ex he should have always been the fourth choice and having been lucky to get the Wild Card in 2008 he should not have let himself get into this position again. Rose is slightly more unfortunate but again he has chased the dollars rather than the Ryder Cup and thus has no argument. Harrington and Donald should also learn from this and get themselves into the team by right next time but Monty made the right picks.

Posted 20:08 30th August 2010

Finola Farry says...

Watching the Barclays from N.York last night I could not believe the bias of the Sky Sports commentary team against Padraig Harrington before, during and after the Ryder Cup Players were announced. David Howell was the only clear minded person on the panel. Harrington has three major wins & that should count for something.

Posted 18:51 30th August 2010

Gavin Moran says...

I have to say that I am pleased with the three picks. Molinari had a very consistent season and his selection will be a great boost to all the players on the European Tour. His play under pressure on Sunday was top class and he also did it with a smile on his face so good on him !!! Luke Donald has a terrific record in the Ryder Cup and is something of a foursomes specialist. He also showed his desire to be selected by travelling to Celtic Manor to play in the Welsh Open during the summer. Padraig Harrington brings immense experience to the team with 3 majors in the last 3 years. He is certainly not playing to the best of his form this year but he was still close to making the team automatically but the bottom line is this...... who would you like to have standing over a 10 foot putt on the 18th green for a point (or even 1/2 a point). Statistics can prove anything and Casey/Rose supporters will point to his record in the past two Ryder Cups but his record previously was excellent. I expect him to do well, although perhaps in a lesser role as I would expect him to miss out on at least one foursomes match. It will be a very tight match again and the Americans, although the holders, have pretty much nothing to lose on away soil but the match will most likely be won by sheer will and guts. Padraig Harrington will not be found wanting in this department.

Posted 18:44 30th August 2010

Barry Ryan says...

to the people saying harrington shouldnt of been picked because of his form. answer this. do u think tiger woods form been good enough? absolutly not. will corey pavin pick woods as a wildcard? u bet he will. reason why? because its tiger woods. his name alone will intimidate players. just like harringtons 3 majors. harrington is the closest thing to a tiger woods we have. also remember form is temporary,class is permanent.

Posted 18:11 30th August 2010

Ian Colclough says...

Well done Monty, you have picked a man who is still coming to terms with his change of golf swing, is experiencing a poor run of form, has no natural foursomes partner, & has a weak recent Ryder Cup record. Rose, & particularly Casey, do not deserve the insult you & your aides have delivered. When we regain the cup, it will be despite, not because of your wild card decisions. Come on Europe, go get ''em boys!

Posted 17:44 30th August 2010

John Lison says...

personally l think Monty got it wrong, l would have picked Casey and rose ahead of Harrington and Donald, Harrington is out of form and is not a good match play man compared to Casey who is excellent at match play also if you look at the records of the two in the ryder cup Casey is streets ahead,l also think Rose has improved no end this year and is a far better player than Luke Donald, anyway come on lads thump them americans

Posted 16:37 30th August 2010

Phil Melia says...

harrington had to be picked ,3 time major winner ,most top tens over last number of months ,rose paid little or no respect for the european tour ,casey needed a pick last time aswell . if harrington was english nobody would say anything about him been a wildcard pick ,best european golfer for years !

Posted 16:08 30th August 2010
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