Paul Casey, making his first appearance on the DP World Tour in more than two years, has surged into contention at the Singapore Classic.
After being penalized by the Wentworth-based circuit for his Saudi transfer, Casey chose to give up his playing privileges on the DP World Tour, joining a number of well-known Europeans who had joined LIV Golf. This week, the Englishman is back at the Tour in Singapore, despite not being a member.
Porsche, the primary sponsor of the event, granted Casey a sponsor exemption. This is just his fourth competition away from the LIV Golf setup since moving there in the summer of 2022.
After spending time in “prison from hell,” a former Masters winner was denied admission to Augusta National.
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Having won 15 championships on the tour during his career, the former Ryder Cup great is well-versed in what it takes to succeed on the DP World Tour. And after making an impression on moving day at Laguna National Golf Resort Club on Saturday, he has put himself right in the running to earn victory number six.
With opening rounds of 68 and 70, Casey had a strong start to the tournament on Thursday and Saturday, entering the weekend at six under par. In round three, the former world No. 3 kept up his progress, shooting his second four-under 68 to tie for fifth place and finish three shots behind the lead going into Sunday.
He had two birdies and an eagle in his first nine holes on Saturday, but then he made two agonizing bogeys at the seventh and ninth. At the par three 11th, he made another mistake, but with an incredible round’s finish, he shot himself into contention. In his final six holes, the Englishman achieved five birdies, reversing the years.
Paul Casey trails the lead by three strokes going into the final round.
Going into the final round, Paul Casey is three strokes off the lead
Should there not have been a double bogey on the par-three 17th hole, things might have turned out even better. With just 18 holes remaining, Casey is still very much in the running for the win despite his error. David Micheluzzi, the leader at 54 holes, is three shots ahead of seven other players.
Casey was the most recent celebrity to talk about the ongoing talks between the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, ahead of his return to the Wentworth-based circuit. Although a settlement is expected to allow LIV members to resume their previous tours, it has not yet been finalized following nine months of negotiations.
Casey thinks that the players’ lack of motivation is the root of this. He said to the podcast Are You Not Entertained? that “there is compensation involved, so it goes back to there being no incentive to do that.” “I love playing golf with players like Bryson and Joaquin Niemann, but no, there’s no incentive for the others. I’m in a totally different position. I have had enough.
“When you look at the membership, you see a lot of guys who are just trying to make ends meet, guys who aren’t engaged in politics, and then there are the guys at the top who actually do make a difference, but they need to be inspired. There isn’t any reason to make that modification right now.”
