Tour News

Casey declines European Tour membership, ineligible for 2016 Ryder Cup

Published

8 years ago

Nov 21, 2015

How much does the Ryder Cup mean to Paul Casey? Right now, not as much as his family or individual golf career, the golfer said.

The 38-year-old chose to forgo European Tour membership for 2016, consequently making himself ineligible for the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine (Minnesota) in September.

“With my wife and young son as my priority, I have decided to continue to concentrate on the PGA Tour, which has worked well for us this past year,” Casey said.

“I believe this decision will help me to be the best I can be both on and off the course.”

Focusing on the PGA Tour in 2015, Casey climbed from 83rd to 24th in the Official World Golf Rankings earning nearly $3.5 million in 24 Tour events.

He missed just three cuts in 2015, and nearly won two PGA Tour events — he lost in playoffs at the Valero Texas Open and Travelers Championship. He also finished T3 at the Honda Classic and Wyndham Championship, and earned top-5 finishes at the WGC-Cadillac Match Play and the Tour Championship.

Casey was a part of European Ryder Cup teams in 2004, 2006 and 2008. In 2010, he was famously left off the European Ryder Cup team when Captain Colin Montgomerie decided on Edoardo Molinari, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington as his captain’s picks. Casey was No. 7 in the OWGR at the time.

The Europeans have won five out of the last six Ryder Cups, which takes place every two years. Going back to 1995, Europe has won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups, with the only two U.S. wins coming in 1999 and 2008.

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18 Comments

ShankMaster

Dec 15, 2015 at 9:07 pm

Imagine if Tiger Woods had the same mentality back in the day!!!

Reply Report comment
Larry Sellers

Nov 27, 2015 at 4:03 am

I’m not sure Monty not picking him in 2010 is as much a factor as the article seems to suggest. After all Monty isn’t the captain next year and as a gesture it’d be pretty empty to take it out on Darren Clarke. It’s far more likely that Paul sees that he hasn’t much time left in his career and he has suffered with injury that could still come back and end it prematurely. Since he’s playing well on the PGA tour, now’s the time to capitalise on that form and do as well as possible while he still has time. To me it’s a pragmatic decision that has almost nothing to do with his past experiences.

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cody

Nov 23, 2015 at 5:21 pm

didnt he apply for US citizen ship a while back anyway?

Reply Report comment
Otto von Heidelberg

Nov 22, 2015 at 4:49 pm

Golf is JUST a game. Playing the R Cup probably costs PC more money than staying at home to play ball with the wife and bub + it is a better game when you want to be a father rather than a party animal chasing “Glory” for continental Europe, which is the place NOT TO BE at present,( which is inescapable if you play the European Tour). Besides that, the ruling is somewhat dumb because on this case, it has provided the perfect dis incentive to play.

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Rich

Nov 22, 2015 at 7:37 am

All you twits that don’t get the rules about Ryder Cup selection for Europe need to grow a brain. The European Tour is a business just like every golf tour in the world. You think it’s ok that a guy that plays for Europe doesn’t have to play on the European Tour? Get with it fools. Even without the membership requirement, who says they wouldn’t want to play on the European Tour. Seems to be providing them the best preparation to win the Ryder Cup in recent times, doesn’t it?

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- christian
  
  Nov 23, 2015 at 2:13 am
  
  I guess people thinks it’s odd because the competition is between Europe and the US? And not between the US tour and the European Tour. The European tour is also played all over the world these days, how “european” is that? Citizenship should count, not where you play your golf. Of course the European Tour likes the current situation, I don’t think ANYBODY don’t know why, but the point is, is it RIGHT?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Rob
  
  Nov 26, 2015 at 11:17 am
  
  The Ryder Cup isn’t the PGA Tour vs. European Tour, it’s the best players born in Europe vs the best players born in America. Golf is now a global game and the tour which these players chose to play on full-time should be of no consequence when trying to qualify to make the team.
  
  Reply Report comment
christian

Nov 22, 2015 at 4:34 am

I actually didn’t know you had to be a memebr of the European Tour to be considered for the Ryder Cup. Sounds idiotic, it should be your citizenship that counts, not where you play.

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cgasucks

Nov 22, 2015 at 12:20 am

A lot of Euro players would kill to be in the Ryder Cup. Casey thinks otherwise but for the right reasons…

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Rwj

Nov 21, 2015 at 6:21 pm

I thought the Ryder cup was America vs Europe. I wasn’t aware it was pga tour vs European tour. I dont understand why those rules are in place, really limits talent.

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- Jack
  
  Nov 22, 2015 at 2:06 am
  
  All the “Euros” live in Florida and play the US tour full time. The whole thing doesn’t make sense any more. Rory is much more liked than Bubba in the US and even as an American I’d pull for Rory in a match with bubba…
  
  Reply Report comment
ooffa

Nov 21, 2015 at 6:16 pm

Smart boy. He knows where the money is. Right here in the good ole U.S. of A.
If you don’t make it in America your just a second rate hack.

Reply Report comment
- Roddy
  
  Nov 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm
  
  Sweet Jesus.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Gregor
    
    Nov 22, 2015 at 4:17 pm
    
    Brilliant! Sad thing is he probably believes that!
    
    Reply Report comment
Bert

Nov 21, 2015 at 6:07 pm

Family first – awesome!

Reply Report comment
BIG STU

Nov 21, 2015 at 5:43 pm

It is refreshing to see a player putting his family and HIS career first which affects his family too. My hat is off to him on doing that. Yep I personally think Monte snubbed him that year when he was not picked

Reply Report comment
- Jack
  
  Nov 23, 2015 at 12:57 pm
  
  Please name all of the players who are not putting themselves and families first!
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ShankMaster
    
    Dec 15, 2015 at 9:06 pm
    
    Ever hear of Tiger Woods?
    
    Reply Report comment

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