British golfer Paul Casey is a likeable guy. You can ask him pretty much anything and he doesn’t get too bothered. Why would he? Overall, he’s had a good 2009. Yes, he’s had a few injuries, but this time last year he was ranked a lowly 49 in the World Golf Rankings. By mid-January the newlywed was cradling his second falcon trophy at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship; by April, he’d won the BMW PGC Championship and had shot up to third in the rankings. So what went right?
Casey himself seems a little unsure. ‘It didn’t happen that way when I won Abu Dhabi in 2007,’ he says. Then, the falcon proved more of an albatross, sparking a two-year trophy drought. It didn’t do justice to a man blessed with a powerful shot and a fair bit of natural talent. But winning for the second time last January signalled a drastic change in fortunes for the 31-year-old. ‘I went on to have the best six months of my career,’ he gushes. So was it just fate?
‘No,’ says Paul, ‘I believe in the old adage, the harder you work the luckier you get.’ So it was simply elbow grease, then? ‘I think it was a case of all my hard work paying off. I hadn’t been playing badly and I knew I wasn’t far off playing really well. I put in a lot of work with my coach Peter Kostis, a lot of work in the gym and, of course, the biggest change was getting married.’ Ah, marriage. They do say that settling down is the making of some men. Could this sudden career upturn be just a case of getting hitched? ‘Is it ever the case of “just getting married?”’ quips Casey. ‘No, of course not – it was a very special day for Jocelyn and
I and one that we will never forget,’ the harried husband quickly adds.
As golf Wags go, the gorgeous former Ms Jocelyn Hefner, distant cousin to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, stands head and Gucci-clad shoulders above most celebrity wives – although quite often that’s because she’s sat on a horse. It’s no coincidence that the pair eschew the usual glittery sports-dollar mansion for a ranch in rural Arizona. But how do two busy sporting people live together?
‘Jocelyn travels with me as much as she can,’ says Paul, ‘but she is a very accomplished horsewomen so it doesn’t always work out.’ Indeed, professional golfers tend to make the average hobo look like stay-at-home agrophobes. Lugging a wife and a stable around with you isn’t always practical, but it seems to suit the pair of them. ‘I like her independence,’ smiles Paul. ‘When we are not together we are on the phone catching up on how each other’s day went – whether it’s a golf tournament in my case, or a horse show in hers. It means we have plenty to talk about.’
Certainly, married life seems to suit the amiable Brit. Casey isn’t one to naturally seek the limelight; he doesn’t wear bright clothing or draw much attention. He may have a glam missus, but you sense that hiding himself away behind a prickly barrier of 100,000 Arizonan cacti is no coincidence.
Nevertheless, he is a pretty laid-back fellow and certainly not shy of cursing his luck. Just as Casey’s star was on the rise, the second half of 2009 saw him largely confined to the treatment table, to the point that he missed out on the Race to Dubai. It left the way wide open for fellow Brit Lee Westwood to slip ahead of Casey in the rankings; and no doubt he will be looking to follow that trophy up in Abu Dhabi, alongside fellow tricky customers Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia and rising Irish star Rory McIlroy.
‘It was so frustrating to get injured – I’d had my most successful six months,’ Paul bemoans. ‘But, on the bright side, I suppose if I’d had a terrible six months preceding my injury, it would be even tougher to cope with being stuck on the sidelines.’
See what we mean? He’s just a nice guy. So what does a golfer do back on the ranch when he can’t play golf? Put in a few hours on the PlayStation? Bake? Polish the wife’s stirrups? ‘I didn’t sit around playing PlayStation,’ he corrects. ‘I had treatment on my intercostal muscles. But I love to cycle, so once I got the all clear to get back on my bike I covered a lot of miles. Also, I got to spend time with my wife and do regular stuff.’ For the record, ‘regular stuff’ largely involved taking their dog, Coolwhip, for long, meandering walks.
So what about 2010? As well as last year went for Casey, he still has a fair bit to prove, and he knows it. He won’t tell us his resolutions, but he’s never finished in the top five at a major and there is always the nagging doubt of what he could have achieved had injury not stopped him in his tracks. Plus, naturally, the thought of an Abu Dhabi hat trick spurs him on. So while Paul Casey might enjoy the quiet life, we reckon the defending champ will be a big noise on The National course this month.
The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 takes place at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from January 21-24. Tickets are available from www.timeouttickets.com.
Ones to watch
Paul Casey picks the drama holes worth staking out this month at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
The sixth hole: ‘A par four with water on both sides of the fairway makes accuracy off the tee of paramount importance.’
The 17th hole: ‘This can be treacherous – especially when a prevailing wind is blowing – as it is a tough driving hole over water.’
The 18th hole: ‘Finally, this par five is an exciting risk and reward finishing hole. Even playing it safe can be perilous, yet reaching the green in two requires two great strikes – plenty of drama!’
The contenders
Lee Westwood
Ranking: 4
Chances: The current number one European golfer and Dubai champion. He’s our hot tip to take the Falcon (sorry, Paul).
Sergio Garcia
Ranking: 10
Chances: Garcia has the game to beat anyone, but rarely brings it to the UAE. We tipped him last year, we won’t be burnt again.
Rory McIlroy
Ranking: 11
Chances: If we had to pick an outsider, the 20-year-old prodigy would be it. Experts say the kid from Holyrood is the new Tiger.
Geoff Ogilvy
Ranking: 14
Chances: The Aussie former US Open champ is more than capable of upsetting the rankings. One to watch.
Once a Player…
We share a round with Gary Player on Saadiyat Island.
I’ve met Gary Player before. About a-year-and-a-half ago, in the cold marble foyer of the Shangri-La Hotel, we shared lunch and a lively conversation. There we sat, man and boy, the stately Player spooning the occa-sional globule of golden honey into his tea in between espousing his philosophy on the future of UAE golf – and mankind besides. Needless to say, 18 months on, I am not remembered. But I didn’t expect to be. This is Gary Player after all, ‘The World’s Most Travelled Sportsman (TM)’. He’s racked up more face time with the public than most presidents, and the garrulous 78-year-old South African certainly knows how to work a room, which, in this case, consists of eager journos deposited on the greens of Player’s new Saadiyat Island ocean golf course.
The brief was simple: each writer gets to play a few holes with Player, whereupon you undergo the nerve-wracking prospect of having one of the finest ever exponents of the game and a man who is essentially an encyclopedia of swings and putts assess your form. Best of all, I’d never played golf in my life.
Oh, I like the game, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a gifted spectator. Set me down on the famed Carnoustie and I’d gravitate toward the snack bar before I’d ever set foot on a fairway. Nevertheless, the groups separate and our accompanying pro hands me a club.
The course was bedding in when we visited. Its Championship status barely looked applicable, although rumours are it will host 2011’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Needless to say, my practice hole was predictably messy and my swing resembled a spotty teenage caveman cudgelling his first mammoth.
Eventually we catch up with Player, predictably holding both court and centre stage. At one point he challenges a collection of journalists to name any player and he would find a weakness in their game. A list of champions are reeled off and Gary fires off flaws and jitters, before breaking off to strike a tee shot.
Soon it’s our turn. Shimmying to the back is no escape. Having watched my fellow initiates shank shots into obscure parts of the course even the famed Saadiyat turtles that breed here would fear to tread, I level one up. Player is a kindly sort and can spot an incompetent a mile off. ‘Shuffle right,’ he says, directing me as one might unruly traffic. He jokes a little and urges me just to hit it. What’s more, I do – the only time that day.
The ball arches into the air (a first!), settling down a good 70 yards away. It’s hardly a monster hit, but the shock is enough to make me forget to pick up my tee (terrible etiquette!). Player does it for me, joking that he’d never pick up someone else’s tee, but, for me, he’d make an exception. The man is a true gent.
The day winds on, but there are few better highs, for me anyway. We pass over an area where Player had previously discovered some wet concrete, so he dug his hands into it and signed his name – he tends to do that sort of thing. Meanwhile, Player regales the crowd with stories and the Saadiyat course glimmers in the desert heat. Certainly, whether the Championship comes here next year or not, Gary Player has his golf course and, as we leave him on the 18th tee, he couldn’t be happier.
A matter of course
Where else can you practise your swing?
Yas Links
Course: 18 holes, 7,450 yards, par 74
Need to know: It’s the capital’s only ‘links’ course, which means sandy soil and deep roughs by the barrel load. The front nine will open in March/April, the back nine is due a month later.
Signature hole: Hole three is the first to be finished. A tee shot leads to an inside dogleg and a bunker-strewn finale.
Cost: Tbc
Good for… those who long for a bit of rough. You could almost be in (40°C) Scotland.
Due to open Mar/Apr.Visit www.yasisland.ae for more info.
Saadiyat Beach Club
Course: 18 holes, 7,787 yards, par 72
Need to know: Yes, all the holes have slightly pretentious names rather than numbers, but it’s a gorgeous course, with an impressive clubhouse, while the academy is much vaunted.
Signature hole: Arabian Oasis (hole 18) sees you playing your tee shot towards the Arabian Gulf – it really is gorgeous.
Cost: Yet to be finalised, contact details below.
Good for… glimpsing the future of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, which is due to relocate here in 2011.
Open Feb 1, call Abu Dhabi Golf Club on 02 558 8990.
Ghazal Golf Club
Course: 18 holes, 6,450 yards, par 71
Need to know: It’s a brown course so, yes, it’s all sand. For those who hit the fairway, the reward is to strike the next shot off a portable Astroturf mat.
Signature hole: The front nine are based around an archeological site, where they’ve found tools, scrapers and small drills. Where else can you say that?
Cost: Dhs85 for nine holes on weekdays, Dhs115 on weekends.
Good for… the cheapest game in town, and Ghazal is well known for its reasonably priced tuition.
Call 02 575 8040 for more info.
Abu Dhabi City Golf Club
Course: Nine holes, 3,199 yards (18 holes 6,307 yards), par 70
Need to know: Formerly the Golf & Equestrian Club, this is a tight course set in the middle of a racetrack. All the greens have recently been vastly improved and a massive 26-bay double-tier driving range opens toward the end of the month.
Signature hole: Hole nine has been totally rebuilt. A 100-yard pond sits in front of the green so anything short of 10 yards is in the drink.
Cost: Dhs175 for nine holes on weekdays; Dhs195 on weekends.
Good for… city centre swingers, who want to whack a few balls.
Call 02 445 9600 for more info.
