PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Paul Casey of England hasn't been a PGA TOUR member since 2005, so it was surprising to hear he would rejoin the U.S. circuit in 2008, especially because it's a Ryder Cup year.
It's all part of a broader plan to make the European team and become a more polished player.
"The way I want to get in the Ryder Cup is world ranking points," he said. "It doesn't matter where I play, I just need to play well."
Five members of the European team come off a money list that began in September. Five others are taken off a list of world ranking points earned since September. Because he likely will be eligible for the four majors and three World Golf Championships, Casey only needs to play four European Tour events to keep his membership.
He already has played the HSBC Champions in China and plans to play twice in the Middle East early next year.
"My intention is to play as much golf over here as possible," he said. "Keeping my European card is easy, and thank (Chief Executive) George O'Grady for that."
Along with making the Ryder Cup team for the third straight time, Casey wants to get into the top 10 in the world, and he figures his game will only improve playing a full U.S. schedule.
"I want to play against Tiger (Woods), (Jim) Furyk and (Phil) Mickelson week in and week out," he said. "I've got to test myself against those guys all the time. I want to win a major, at least one. And I think in order to raise my game, I've got to be here all the time."
