Olazabal feels for Casey

Ryder Cup skipper hopes Englishman can battle back from injury

Last Updated: May 30, 2012 5:29pm
Olazabal: Celtic Manor a special place

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European captain Jose Maria Olazabal hopes Paul Casey can return to fitness and launch a late challenge for his Ryder Cup team.
While Olazabal plays in this week's Wales Open at Celtic Manor - scene of the famous victory over the Americans two years ago -Casey is out of action once again.
The former world number three missed the first two months of the season after dislocating his shoulder snowboarding and has endured more problems in the last month.
He pulled out of the Players' Championship after nine holes, withdrew from the Volvo World Match Play and, after missing the halfway cut in the BMW PGA Championship by nine shots last Friday, opted not to take part in the Memorial Tournament in Ohio this week.
"I feel really sorry for him. We all know how good he can play," said Olazabal when asked about the Englishman.
"All I am hoping is that he gets healthy again and shows form. I wish him the very best."
Olazabal knows all about battling with injury, he was given a wild card into the 1995 Ryder Cup, but withdrew because of rheumatism in his feet - the ailment then kept him out of the game for the best part of a year.
Casey, the only player ever to hole-in-one to win a Ryder Cup game, is currently down in 27th place in the points race.
There are still three months to go before the top 10 win automatic selection for Chicago, but first he has to start playing again.
Olazabal opted for only two wild cards rather than the three of predecessor Colin Montgomerie, so that does not help Casey's cause either.

Lawrie to provide presence

The only player in a current top-10 spot playing in Wales this week is Paul Lawrie, while there are just four survivors of the 2010 side in the field - Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ross Fisher, who since the match has dropped to 157th in the world.
Olazabal rates Lawrie "pretty much in" following his runners-up finish at Wentworth and believes the Scot will provide a real presence in his team.
"He's (Lawrie) going to be good in the team," the Spaniard told Sky Sports News HD. "He's a steady player and he's shown that he's playing great golf, he's shown a lot of form since the end of last year.
"I think he has a great character and I think he should be good for the team."
However, Olazabal - who is paired with Lawrie for the first two rounds at Celtic Manor this week - insists there won't be much time for Ryder Cup chatter once he and the 1999 Open champion hit the course.
"Once you tee off you know that there is a big task ahead of you and we don't spend too much time talking about the Ryder Cup because we're trying to focus on the job in hand," he added.
"These weeks are all very important, if you manage to score well obviously that will help your chances to make the team and that's what we're trying to focus on."
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