Paul Casey Needs To Turn His ‘Mr. Thursday’ Tag Into A Winning ‘Mr. Sunday’ Label.

Atlanta, GA …

Paul Casey has no explanation for the PGA Tour’s ‘Mr. Thursday’ tag after signing for a four-under par 66 on day one of the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

Casey grabbed six birdies including birdies over his closing two holes in another impressive Play-Offs display to be sharing second place with four others, including U.S. Open champion, Brooke Koepka and two behind American Kyle Stanley who carded a six-under par 64 in the hot and very humid conditions.

‘s Room with a smile on his face. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Fellow Englishman Justin Rose is a stroke adrift of Casey in signing for a two-under 68.

Casey, whose partner Pollyanna gave birth to the couple’s second child last week, lying 10th on the FedEx Cup standings and while out of the FedEx Cup picture the Englishman has given himself a big springboard in capturing the Tour Championship and the $US 1.5m first prize.

“I love this golf course at East Lake, it’s a classic, it’s maybe one of the finest we play all year,” he said.

“In a weird way it’s a shame it’s only 30 guys, you would love the entire PGA Tour to get to play this great track. It’s a golf course that rewards good ball striking, you’ve got to hit a lot of fairways, you’ve got to position the ball ideally below the hole and good touch putting, which is something that’s all kind of in my wheelhouse.

“And we’re not too far away from Augusta and it’s a similar sort of style of golf and a requirement that you have to have around here to play this golf course well and it’s something I have and I love these Playoffs, it’s cool.

“But looking at my FedEx Cup standing it is a tall order to win the FedEx Cup this week and I am going to need a lot of guys to make a lot of errors but then I am going to give it a damn good try.”

However, Casey was reminded of a little-known PGA Tour stat and that is he is first in the 2016/17 wraparound season when it comes to leading or being near the front on a Thursday.

But then come Sunday and the final round of tournaments Casey is placed outside the top-30, and this is despite shooting the lowest round at East Lake a year ago, and that being a 64 to finish fourth behind Rory McIlroy.

“I don’t know why I play good on Thursdays but then no so good the next two days but certainly not as good competing on a Sunday,” he said.

“It’s weird because I do ususally feel more nervous on a Thursday and you haven’t started the event yet, and you are hoping it is going to go well.

“It is something my caddy and I have looked at and even going into the Northern Trust a few weeks back and the Dell Technologies we discussed the fact we need to play better over Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

“Whatever it is, I don’t know and I would love to find out but having said that I shot 64 here last year on Sunday, so  I am pretty confident I can repeat that effort this Sunday.”

However while Casey’s mind is now on capturing only a second Tour title since winning the 2009 Shell Houston Open he also is desperately looking forwad to returning to his Phoenix home to see in person his new daughter, Astaria.

“I can’t wait till I get home on Sunday night and let’s just hope I can play well on Sunday as I do on Sunday,” he said.

“I’ve got two weeks at home and it’s going to be brilliant being back home, and it can’ t get any more hectic than it is right now.”

And Casey, who has a son named Lex after Lex Luthor and the supervilliam from Action Comics, he was at a loss to know the origin of Astaria.

“Pollyanna chose the name and I don’t know where it comes from but Lex came from Luthor but then as she said to someone once we were going to name him Wolverine or Magneto but we thought they may make fun of him when he goes to school,” he said laughing.

“But I think Astaria is a great name, fantastic”.

 

 

 

 

 



Comments are closed.