Golf IQ Open Championship Player Guide - 2021

Paul Casey (bio)

Paul Casey Bio - (C) GOLFstats Inc. 2020

Casey grew up playing both tennis and golf at the Foxhills Golf Club near London, and secured his card as an affiliate member of the European Tour in 2001, shortly before winning his maiden title at the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship. Finishing 22nd on the Order of Merit helped him win the 2001 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award. Coached by Peter Kostis, Casey's amateur highlight came when he proved to be one of the stalwarts of Great Britain's and Ireland's Walker Cup victory at Nairn in 1999, becoming one of only three players in 77 years to record four victories without a defeat.

Casey won the English Amateur Championship in 1999 and 2000. While at Arizona State University, he won the Pac-10 Championship in 1998, '99, and 2000, the first player to win three consecutive years. His 23-under-par 265 winning score at the 2000 Pac-10 Championship broke the scoring record held by Tiger Woods (18 under par). He also broke the record for scoring average at Arizona State, previously held by Phil Mickelson. Played on 2004, '06, '08, '18, and 2021 European Ryder Cup Teams. Won the 2009 Shell Houston Open, which vaulted him to sixth place in the Official World Golf Ranking. Owns 15 European Tour victories.

May 2009: Won the BMW PGA Championship, England's premier event, to go along with victories at the Shell Houston Open and the Abu Dhabi Championship. He rose to third in the world ranking.

July 2009: After celebrating his peaking game, he missed the cut at the U.S. Open and the British Open and, while at Turnberry, strained an intercostal muscle. Forced to withdraw from the WGC-Bridgestone, the PGA Championship and the WGC-HSBC Champions.

February 2010: After his ribs healed, Casey got his game back on track but lost in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play. Finished T-4th at the Honda Classic and T-6th at the WGC-CA Championship. Unfortunately, while defending his Shell Houston Open title, he injured his left shoulder, hindering his play for three more months.

July 2010: Finished T-3rd at the British Open despite a final-round 75. His game continued to improve as he posted a runner-up result at the BMW Championship. Also finished T-4th at the Tour Championship, T-6th at the WGC-HSBC Champions, T-6th at the Dubai World and 3rd at the Chevron World Challenge.

January 2011: In his second start of the year, Casey won the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa. Finished T-12th at the Northern Trust and lost the next week in the second round of the Accenture Match Play. After that, he injured his right toe, and the pain grew over the next couple of months. By the British Open, the pain was so intense he had trouble transitioning on his right foot. The injury was diagnosed as turf toe and was treated with anti-inflammatories and ice.

October 2011: After taking six weeks off, he won the Shinhan Donghae Open. That started a streak in which Casey posted four top-seven finishes in six starts. Ended the year ranked T-16th at the Dubai World Championship.

Christmas Eve, 2011: Off to Colorado for some snowboarding, Casey slipped on the first day and fell, dislocating his right shoulder. He avoided surgery, took three months off, and attempted to come back at the WGC-Cadillac in March. The shoulder, though, hadn't enough time to heal. Between the Cadillac and the Alfred Dunhill Links in October, he played 18 events but made only four cuts, the best result a T-25th at the Ballantine's Tournament. Ended the year 122nd in the world ranking with a game that was once again starting to come around.

December 2012: Finished T-5th at the Handa Perth International, T-6th at the BMW Masters, T-10th at the Barclays Singapore Open, and T-19th at the USB Hong Kong Open.

July 2013: With his shoulder healthy again, Casey finished T-8th at the Volvo China Open in April and then won the Irish Open. Playing in only seven PGA Tour events, ranked 197th in the FedExCup standings. On the European Tour, he finished 30th in the Race to Dubai.

January 2014: Finished T-9th at the Dubai Desert Classic, but that was his last top-10 until he won the KLM Open in September. He had nine top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour for the year, which got him into the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time since 2010. Finished T-22nd at The Barclays but didn't compete at the Deutsche Bank because his fiancee was close to going into labor with their first child in London. Finished the year 95th in the FedExCup standings and 108th on the money list. Was 61st in the Race to Dubai.

February 2015: Casey played at the CIMB Classic on the first of November and took two months off. He returned to the Sony Open in Hawaii, finishing T-30th. He missed his next two starts before finally finding success on the PGA Tour, reaching a playoff at the Northern Trust Open. He was eliminated on the first playoff hole but had an extra dose of adrenaline, leaving Los Angeles knowing his game was back and that he was healthy and happy again. The next week at the Honda, he began the final round's second nine with a lead but shot two-over-par and finished T-3rd, one stroke out of a playoff. The good news: He climbed to 45th in the world ranking, earning a spot at the WGC-Cadillac. Struggles at Doral resulted in a T-38th finish, and he missed the cut at the Arnold Palmer to fall to 49th in the rankings. He didn't play at the Valero Texas Open, and nobody passed him as he climbed to 48th in the ranking, earning his invitation to play in the Masters. Fired three rounds in the 60s at Augusta National, finishing T-6th, the second time he has done so (also in 2004). At his next start at the WGC-Cadillac Match Play, Casey reached a semifinal match with Rory McIlroy. After 21 holes, though, it was too dark to play, and they had to come back the next morning. Casey fell ill overnight and ultimately lost to McIlroy. During the week of the Masters in 2014, Casey was 100th in the world ranking. Fourteen months later, after the 2015 Memorial, was 36th.

June 2015: The week after finishing T-39th at the U.S. Open, Casey began the final round of the Travelers Championship three shots off the lead. Shot a final-round 65 to force a playoff with 2010 Travelers champion Bubba Watson. When Casey's errant, greenside bunker shot at the second extra hole flew over the green, Watson won with a birdie. It marked Casey's second playoff loss during the season (other was at the Northern Trust Open).

September 2015: After finishing T-3rd at the Wyndham Championship, just two strokes behind winner Davis Love III, Casey played all four FedExCup playoff events, finishing the Tour Championship T-5th. Ended the year 13th in the FedExCup standings and 21st on the money list. He gave up his European Tour card, so he wasn't eligible for the Ryder Cup in September.

2016 Notes: First top-10 of the year was 7th at the WGC-Cadillac, then finished T-9th at the Arnold Palmer and T-4th at the Masters. Didn't earn another top-10 until he was runner-up in back-to-back weeks at the Deutsche Bank Championship and BMW Championship in the FedExCup playoffs. Finished his year 4th at the Tour Championship. In 22 starts, he ranked 5th in the FedExCup standings and 14th on the money list.

2017 Notes: Started his year with a T-3rd at the Safeway Open. Reached the round of 16 before losing his match to Hideto Tanihara to finish T-9th at the WGC-Dell Match Play. Was 6th at the Masters, five strokes behind winner Sergio Garcia. At the Travelers Championship, was T-5th, three strokes out of the playoff. Played well again in a major, finishing T-11th at the British Open. With final rounds of 67-67, Casey finished T-5th at the WGC-Bridgestone. The next week was T-33rd at the PGA Championship. Had a successful FedExCup playoffs, finishing 5th at the Northern Trust, T-4th at the Dell Technologies, T-33rd at the BMW Championship and 5th at the Tour Championship. Was 11th in the FedExCup standings. At the end of October, he announced that he rejoined the European Tour with the hope of making the Ryder Cup team.

2018 Notes: Played 20 PGA Tour events, making 18 cuts, and was in the top-10 five times. Ended the year 25th in the FedExCup standings. On the European Tour, he played 11 events, making 11 cuts. He finished 45th in the Race to Dubai. Started the year with a T-7th at the CIMB Classic. Posted his second top-10 with a T-9th at the Abu Dhabi Championship. The next week was T-8th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. At the Valspar Championship, shot a final-round 65, good enough for a one-stroke win over Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed. Finished T-5th at the Wells Fargo Championship. The next week, he withdrew from the Players Championship, citing a back injury. At the time, he indicated on his Instagram page that he had sacroiliitis (inflammation of the SI joint) with a sprain of the ligament. Also, muscle spasms and leg pain, possibly due to the sciatic nerve getting trapped. After a couple of weeks of rest in Arizona, he flew to London and finished T-20th at the BMW PGA Championship. Finished T-16th at the U.S. Open, and the next week, T-2nd at the Travelers Championship, losing by three strokes to Bubba Watson, who fired a final-round 63. Shot a final-round 73 to drop into a T-7th finish at the Porsche European Open, three strokes behind winner Richard McEvoy. Played all four FedExCup playoff events, with his best finish a T-11th at the Tour Championship. Had a goal for the year of making it to France in September to play on the European Ryder Cup team and was a captain's pick. Playing in his fourth Ryder Cup, went 1-1-1, winning 1.5 points. Halved his singles match with Brooks Koepka.

2019 Notes: Played in 22 PGA Tour events, making 18 cuts and finishing in the top-10 seven times. He placed 5th in the FedExCup final standings. Finished T-2nd at the SMBC Singapore Open, two strokes behind winner Jazz Janewattananond. Began the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a three-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson. Casey shot a final-round 71 to lose by three to Mickelson, who fired a 65. It was Casey's ninth runner-up finish on the PGA Tour. Was T-3rd at the WGC-Mexico Championship and successfully defended his title at the Valspar Championship, defeating Jason Kokrak and Louis Oosthuizen by a stroke. Lost in the round of 16 to Francesco Molinari at the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship. Shot 66-69 over the weekend to finish T-4th at the Wells Fargo Championship, six strokes behind winner Max Homa. Shot a final-round 65 at the Travelers Championship to finish T-5th, six strokes behind winner Chez Reavie. In the FedExCup playoffs, he didn't play in the Northern Trust and, after finishing T-24th at the BMW Championship, went into the Tour Championship in 16th place. With rounds of 66-67-68-72, he climbed up and finished 5th for the week and in the final FedExCup standings. After that, he flew to Europe and two weeks later shot a final-round 66 to win the Porsche European Open by a stroke over Bernd Ritthammer. It was Casey's 14th win on the European Tour and his first in five years since the 2014 KLM Open. Casey ended his European year with a T-18th finish at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. He played in 12 European Tour events, ranked 28th in the Race to Dubai, and won Euro1,403,566. Two weeks later, he played his last event for the year and placed T-5th at the Emirates Australian Open.

2020 Notes: Played in 15 PGA Tour events, making 13 cuts with one top-10 finish. In the FedExCup standings was 49th. Best finish before the COVID-19 break, 11th at the WGC-Mexico Championship. After the break, he finished T-2nd at the PGA Championship, two shots behind winner Collin Morikawa. In the FedExCup playoffs, was T-49th at the Northern Trust and T-16th at the BMW Championship.

2021 Notes: Played in 20 PGA Tour events, making 19 cuts with seven top-10 finishes. In the FedExCup standings was 52nd. Started the season T-17th at the U.S. Open. Was T-8th at the American Express, then flew from Palm Springs to Dubai and won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by four shots over Brandon Stone. The next week finished T-12th at the Saudi International, then flew back to California and was T-5th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, four shots back of winner Daniel Berger. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, shot 72-74 on the weekend to finish T-10th. Next week was T-5th at the Players Championship, three shots back of winner Justin Thomas. At the PGA Championship was four shots back of Phil Mickelson to finish T-4th. In his next start recorded another top-ten in a major finishing T-7th. Represented England at the Tokyo Olympic Games, but lost in the playoff for the bronze medal finishing T-4th. Was T-5th at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, two shots back of the playoff won by Abraham Ancer. In the FedExCup playoffs was T-64th at the Northern Trust and T-38th at the BMW Championship. Played in his fifth Ryder Cup and finished with a 0-4-0 record for the week. Lost his singles match against Dustin Johnson, 1-up.

2022 Notes: Played in seven PGA Tour events making six cuts with one top-ten finish. Was 139th in the FedExCup rankings. Finished 3rd at The Players Championship, two shots back of winner Cameron Smith. It was his second consecutive top-five at the event and this year was the only player in the field to record four scores of 70 or better. Unfortunately, he started getting back spasms and was forced to withdraw from the Valspar Championship, and at the WGC-Dell Match Play had to concede all three matches due to back problems. His back problems forced him to withdraw from the Masters, the Wells Fargo, and the U.S. Open. He returned at the JP McManus Pro-Am, shooting 72-70 to finish T-15th, then was T-53rd at the British Open.

2023 Notes: Wa 5th at the PIF Saudi International and T-27th at the International Series Vietnam.

- World Rank: 213 - Born: Jul 21, 1977, Cheltenham, England - Age: 47y 5m 30d Back to Field

Click on any table column header to sort by that column
This Past Year: His runner-up finish at the PGA Championship turned what could of been a terrible year into something worthwhile. Still his 49th place ranking in the FedExCup is the first time out of the top-30 since 2014.
Past Performance Results and Statistics
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (last 10 years) Open Championship Home Page
YearDateCoursePlaceScoreToPar1st2nd3rd4thMoney
2024Jul 21,2024Royal Troon Golf ClubDNP
2023Jul 23,2023Royal Liverpool Golf ClubDNP
2022Jul 17,2022Old Course at St. AndrewsT53284-471727170$35,656
2021Jul 18,2021Royal St. George's Golf ClubT15275-568677070$143,063
2019Jul 21,2019Royal Portrush G.C.T57288472707373$26,467
2018Jul 22,2018Carnoustie Golf LinksT51288473717272$27,161
2017Jul 23,2017Royal Birkdale G.C.T11277-366776767$175,333
2016Jul 17,2016Royal Troon Golf ClubCUT1519777400$0
2015Jul 20,2015Old Course at St. AndrewsT74288070717572$22,551
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP STATS (All)
Played In19
Rounds Played66
Avg Place55
Scoring Avg72.24
Low Round66
Wins0
Top 10s2
Top 25s5

Tournament Record (last 12 months) PGA TOUR Record - European Tour Record
DateNameTourCoursePlaceScoreToPar1st2nd3rd4thMoney
Mar 24,2024Porsche Singapore ClassicEURLaguna National G & C.C.6275-1368706869$87,500
Tour Statistics (Last 12 Mo)
Events Played1
Rounds Played4
Avg Place6
Scoring Avg68.75
Low Round68
Wins0
Top 10s1
Top 25s1
Recent, Major and Career Results
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Past 12 Months 0 0.00 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.00 $0
All Career Majors 71 50.14 0 12 16.9% 25 35.2% 50 70.4% 52 21.6% 241 73 30.3% 26 36.6% 72.40 $6,909,626
Total Career Results 304 42.44 3 69 22.7% 145 47.7% 231 76.0% 398 40.0% 994 516 51.9% 138 45.4% 70.70 $37,812,405
Note: All tables can be sorted by column clicking on the column headers. For "avg place", a missed cut or wd counts as a place of 100. "Within 5" is the number of times the player has entered the final round within 5 shots of the lead.

Strengths of Game: Always been great from tee to green, his putting is the worst part of his game and something that he has gotten it passable, but in 2020 it was his worst since 2013. If he struggles with the putter, his game also struggles.

Best and Worst Courses and Tournaments: The event he has always been the most reliable in is the Travelers Championship, which he has been runner-up twice in. Has won three times on the PGA Tour, two of them came back to back at the Valspar Championship so look for him to play well there, but he will probably be too pricey. Wells Fargo, AT&T Pebble Beach and if he makes it the Tour Championship are also good spots for him.

Career Performance per Month
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
January 14 53.14 0 2 14.3% 5 35.7% 9 64.3% 22 44.9% 49 31 63.3% 7 50.0% 70.10 $716,680
February 32 37.22 0 8 25.0% 16 50.0% 26 81.3% 34 37.8% 90 51 56.7% 18 56.3% 70.30 $4,761,967
March 47 40.85 2 15 31.9% 22 46.8% 37 78.7% 46 34.1% 135 68 50.4% 24 51.1% 71.10 $8,505,671
April 25 44.56 1 7 28.0% 14 56.0% 16 64.0% 30 36.6% 82 38 46.3% 13 52.0% 71.60 $3,695,628
May 26 48.85 0 6 23.1% 13 50.0% 16 61.5% 31 40.8% 76 39 51.3% 14 53.8% 70.70 $2,613,965
June 30 44.33 0 6 20.0% 12 40.0% 23 76.7% 33 31.4% 105 43 41.0% 13 43.3% 71.40 $3,138,683
July 29 59.55 0 3 10.3% 7 24.1% 18 62.1% 24 25.5% 94 32 34.0% 12 41.4% 71.70 $1,682,116
August 57 39.67 0 10 17.5% 26 45.6% 48 84.2% 88 44.4% 198 99 50.0% 19 33.3% 70.30 $5,267,499
September 18 28.06 0 8 44.4% 13 72.2% 15 83.3% 44 65.7% 67 47 70.1% 10 55.6% 68.90 $5,091,436
October 20 32.95 0 4 20.0% 14 70.0% 17 85.0% 34 45.9% 74 51 68.9% 8 40.0% 69.80 $1,966,211
November 6 30.00 0 0 0.0% 3 50.0% 6 100.0% 12 50.0% 24 17 70.8% 0 0.0% 70.40 $372,550
December 0 0.00 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.00 $0
TOTALS304 - 3 69 23% 145 48% 231 76% 398 40% 994 516 52% 138 14% - $37,812,405

Career Performance per Season
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Spring 98 43.92 3 28 28.6% 49 50.0% 69 70.4% 107 36.5% 293 145 49.5% 51 52.0% 71.10 $14,815,264
Summer 116 45.84 0 19 16.4% 45 38.8% 89 76.7% 145 36.5% 397 174 43.8% 44 37.9% 70.90 $10,088,298
Fall 44 30.55 0 12 27.3% 30 68.2% 38 86.4% 90 54.5% 165 115 69.7% 18 40.9% 69.50 $7,430,197
Winter 46 42.07 0 10 21.7% 21 45.7% 35 76.1% 56 40.3% 139 82 59.0% 25 54.3% 70.20 $5,478,647
TOTALS304 - 3 69 23% 145 48% 231 76% 398 40% 994 516 52% 138 14% - $37,812,405
Spring = March, April, May - Summer = June, July, August - Fall = September, October, November - Winter = December, January, February

Career Performance per Swing
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
West Coast Swing 27 48.52 0 5 18.5% 11 40.7% 19 70.4% 36 37.1% 97 57 58.8% 14 51.9% 70.40 $2,791,856
Florida Swing 39 52.08 2 9 23.1% 17 43.6% 24 61.5% 41 33.6% 122 60 49.2% 20 51.3% 71.20 $6,410,027
New England Courses 34 38.03 0 9 26.5% 17 50.0% 28 82.4% 65 52.4% 124 70 56.5% 14 41.2% 69.80 $4,997,402
Texas Swing 19 43.00 1 6 31.6% 9 47.4% 14 73.7% 23 56.1% 41 24 58.5% 14 73.7% 69.60 $2,463,229
Desert Courses 13 44.31 0 5 38.5% 7 53.8% 9 69.2% 13 48.1% 27 19 70.4% 10 76.9% 69.90 $2,459,340
Ocean and Sea Courses 24 40.38 0 5 20.8% 11 45.8% 20 83.3% 29 33.0% 88 37 42.0% 8 33.3% 71.40 $3,780,863
TOTALS156 - 3 39 25% 72 46% 114 73% 207 41% 499 267 54% 80 16% - $22,902,717

Career Performance per Grass Type
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Bent Greens 143 40.82 0 31 21.7% 70 49.0% 111 77.6% 198 41.9% 472 242 51.3% 57 39.9% 70.60 $17,677,881
Bermuda Greens 100 44.31 3 27 27.0% 49 49.0% 72 72.0% 133 41.8% 318 174 54.7% 53 53.0% 70.50 $13,698,524
Paspalum Greens 8 35.38 0 2 25.0% 5 62.5% 7 87.5% 12 40.0% 30 18 60.0% 2 25.0% 70.70 $977,637
Poa Greens 36 40.08 0 8 22.2% 19 52.8% 28 77.8% 43 33.1% 130 63 48.5% 16 44.4% 70.90 $4,669,449
Fescue Greens 8 65.38 0 1 12.5% 1 12.5% 5 62.5% 5 19.2% 26 10 38.5% 4 50.0% 72.60 $521,757
TOTALS295 - 3 69 23% 144 49% 223 76% 391 40% 976 507 52% 132 14% - $37,545,248

Career Performance per Short and Long Courses
Events Played Avg Place Wins Top 10s%Top 10 Top 25s%Top 25 Cuts Made%Cuts Made Rds in 60s %Rds in 60sRds Played Rds Undr Par%Rds Undr Par Within 5%Within 5 Scoring Avg Money
Less Than 7000 yards 22 44 0 6 27% 10 46% 16 73% 43 53% 81 54 67% 10 46% 70.00 $3,160,394
Greater Than 7400 yards 90 42 1 23 26% 41 46% 69 77% 89 31% 290 127 44% 37 41% 72.00 $12,365,686