With Tiger Woods in danger of missing the Tour Championship – he's currently No. 108 on the points list – the organizers at East Lake needed some good news. They got a bit of it last week when England's Paul Casey, the No. 9 ranked player in the world, said he would stay in the U.S. to compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs, with hopes of reaching the Final 30.
Casey made the decision knowing that he was passing up a chance to return to the European Tour and try to earn the points that would earn him an automatic spot on the Ryder Cup team. He told European captain Colin Montgomerie of his decision last week at the PGA Championship.
“My schedule is set,” Casey said. “I missed out on the FedEx Cup last year and the big goal from an individual standpoint is playing in the Tour Championship. I have never played the Tour Championship and I had a chat with Colin and explained that is a goal I want to accomplish and have a chance to win the FedEx Cup. He wished me good luck.”
Casey missed the playoffs last year because of a rib injury. ...
This week's Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., is the final opportunity for golfers to play their way into the FedEx Cup playoffs. Only the top 125 on the points list qualify for the postseason, which starts next week at the Barclays in New Jersey.
Several players with local ties are inside the number, but are seeking to improve their standing on the points list. Briny Baird (Valdosta State) is No. 104, Troy Matteson (Georgia Tech) is No. 113, David Duval (Georgia Tech) is No. 115 and Jonathan Byrd (Sea Island) is No. 121. Georgia Southern's Aron Price (138) and Georgia Tech's Nicholas Thompson (144) need to win some money in order to slide into the playoffs or face a month-long holiday while the playoffs take place.
Savannah's Brian Harman is in the Wyndham field this week on a sponsors exemption. ...
The Atlanta Athletic Club honored Duluth's Stewart Cink at its "Sports Appreciation Night" on Tuesday. Cink tied for 18th at last week's PGA Championship, giving him back-to-back top-20 appearances. ...
The victory by Martin Kaymer at the PGA completes the field for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf on Oct. 19-20 in Bermuda. Also invited are Phil Mickelson (Masters), Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open) and Louis Oosthuizen (British). Only Mickelson has previous experience at the event. ...
Roberto Castro continued his successful run through the Nationwide Tour with a tie for 16th at the Price Cutter Charity Championship, which earned the Georgia Tech alum a spot in the next event, the Knoxville News Sentinel Open on Aug. 26-29. Castro has earned $81,033 in only four events and jumped to 53rd on the money list. ...
John Marshall, who teaches power golf at Steel Canyon Golf Club in Sandy Springs, will compete at the RE/MAX World Long Drive finals in October for the fifth time. The event is held in Mesquite, Nev., and is televised on ESPN during the Christmas holidays. Marshall is a two-time American Long Divers Association super senior national champion and has finished top 10 in the world at three of his previous four world finals appearances.
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