Paul Casey, winner of the Benson and Hedges International Open last weekend, is the latest player to sign up for this month’’s Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.
The 25 year-old Englishman’’s victory at The De Vere Belfry - the third title of his three-year professional career - means that he is now second on the Volvo Order of Merit behind Ernie Els.
Casey will be returning to Celtic Manor for the second time when he lines up for the £1.5m tournament from May 29-June 1, having finished tied 33rd in the 2001 event.
He won the 2003 Benson and Hedges International Open title by four strokes from Ireland’’s Padraig Harrington after a closing round of 71, for an 11 under par total of 277.
Reigning Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open champion Paul Lawrie of Scotland shared third place on 282 with Rolf Muntz of the Netherlands and New Zealand’’s Stephen Scahill.
A former English Amateur champion, Casey was one of the stalwarts of Great Britain & 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.
In the 2000 Pac-10 Championship in the United States, he broke the scoring record held by Tiger Woods (18 under par) with a 23 under par 265, also becoming the first player to win three successive Pac-10 Championships.
Other records he has broken include the scoring average for Arizona State University, previously held by Phil Mickelson. He recorded his first European Tour victory with a 14 under par total in the 2001 Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship, which also helped him win the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award.
Four top 10 finishes in 2002 saw Casey finish in 46th place on the Volvo Order of Merit, and this year he got off to a great start and with his second title on The European Tour International Schedule - the ANZ Championship at New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney – where he shot a final round of 71 to finish on 45 points under the modified Stableford system.
Wales Open Tournament Chairman Andy Stanton said: “Paul Casey is an in-form player and we hope he can take that consistency into the Wales Open. He obviously knows the Wentwood Hills course - and if his confidence remains at its current level, 2003 may prove to be his most rewarding visit here yet.”
Also taking part in the 2003 event are Colin Montgomerie, winner of the Volvo Order of Merit seven times in succession from 1993 to 1999, defending Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open champion and former Open Golf Championship winner Paul Lawrie, Europe’’s inspirational 2002 Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance, and former World Number One Ian Woosnam, of Wales.
This year’’s Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open, the week after the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, has seen a doubling of the prize fund since the inaugural event in 2000. The Wentwood Hills course is undergoing a £12m redevelopment in preparation to host The 2010 Ryder Cup Matches.
