Casey to meet Micheel in timely Ryder Cup aperitif
Saturday, 16 September 2006 19:11Paul Casey bulldozed his way past a listless Colin Montgomerie, crushing his Ryder Cup teammate 6 & 5 to reach the final on his World Matchplay Championship debut.
The 29-year-old now meets Shaun Micheel in a timely aperitif ahead of next week's Ryder Cup in Ireland after the American beat Swede Robert Karlsson two up.
'I am very, very happy,' Casey told reporters. 'I didn't get the usual Colin Montgomerie today.
'For whatever reason he wasn't at his best. It's nice for me it finished early, I wouldn't have liked to go down the stretch against Colin.'
Casey had only to produce steady golf to go five up at halfway against Montgomerie, a likely partner in the foursomes or fourballs in Ireland.
The 43-year-old Scot, who complained of tiredness after his 36-hole win over holder Michael Campbell on Friday, struggled to a two-over-par 74 against his opponent's 68.
While Montgomerie was always on the receiving end against Casey, there was never more than two holes between the other two semi-finalists.
Micheel, who knocked out Tiger Woods and Luke Donald earlier this week, went two down after four holes. He pulled back to all square at the 12th before draining a 30-foot birdie putt at the 13th to go one up, a lead he hung on to at lunch.
Neither player hit the heights, the 2003 US PGA champion recording a 73 while Karlsson carded a 72.
The standard of golf was better in the afternoon, the 37-year-old Micheel emerging triumphant with a six-birdie 68 against Karlsson's 69.
Up for grabs in Sunday's final is the richest first prize in golf, one million pounds.
