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Your support makes all the difference.Le Golf National is a vast green expanse, punctuated by glistening silver lakes and blue signs trumpeting Europe’s chances of Ryder Cup glory.
But there are only two colours that matter to Paul Casey after the sacrifices he has made to get here, a decade on from his last appearance.
“I think it's fairly black and white,” he said. “It's why we're here, is to win. So these amazing dinners like we had last night and the grandeur of the opening ceremonies, it's all about the result at the end of the day. That's all that matters.”
After dining with their partners and associated dignitaries at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday night, the mood clearly turned a little in both camps from giddy excitement to eyes on the prize.
For Casey, who returned from several years on the PGA Tour to the European Tour this season with the sole intention of qualifying for the Ryder Cup team, it is a case of a job only partly done until the Ryder Cup is once again in European hands.
“With Paul's commitment to what he wants to do with playing back in The Ryder Cup team after ten years, the conversations we had, he's really shown he missed this part of his life and he really wanted to get back,” said Thomas Bjorn when he announced Casey as his first captain’s pick.
“It really was a no-brainer for me to bring him back… He just has that demeanour about him that when he gets in those tough situations, he wants it really bad; and in golf, sometimes it goes the right way or the wrong way. But in The Ryder Cup, he's shown he has the pedigree on the team.”
Indeed he has. Casey has three previous appearances at the Ryder Cup, consecutive tilts between 2004 and 2008, but it is his hole-in-one at the K Club in 2006 that sealed a walk-off victory for he and partner David Howell that went down in Ryder Cup lore.
“He's world-class, Paul,” added Bjorn. “These are the things that he does, making hole-in-ones is what he does, and hopefully he does [this week]. He brings world class golf to the team and he's a wonderful match player, as well. Great to have him back.”
And Casey is delighted to be back, justifying his decision to return to the European Tour and giving him the opportunity to write more history in a competition it is clear he has dearly missed.
“We hang out a lot on Tour, around the world, when we're playing, but it's not the same. I miss putting on the clothes in the morning. I miss that first tee. I've missed a lot. But I think the most is missing the vibes, the team, how close you get with these guys, and they become -- they always do become really good friends. Friendships always grow in this situation.”
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