THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Paul Casey from Crushers GC. Paul, you are currently sitting at 9-under at T4. You fired off a 5-under today. Tell us about your round.
PAUL CASEY: Good stuff. I enjoy playing with Brooks. I don't know, we've always played well -- he didn't play his best today, but I've always played well when I've played with Brooks. Something about how he carries himself on the golf course always helps me, so it was nice to play with him. We've been friends a long time. G-Mac I've known 30 years now. It was just a chilled group.
I played some good golf. Hit the shots I wanted to hit, made a couple of long putts, and even when there was an odd wayward one like the last hole I played was in a bit of a sandy divot and the ball just spun out weird, managed to save par, and I did all the things I needed to do, so very happy with that.
Q. Plenty of room tomorrow to catch Andy and get up to the top.
PAUL CASEY: That depends on what he does, doesn't it.
Q. But in terms of what you can control tomorrow, what do you need to do to close out and get your first LIV Golf win?
PAUL CASEY: I've played nice golf with a 4-under and a 5-under, so my plan is to just do the same. If I need to be more aggressive the last couple of holes, then I'll try to be, but how aggressive can you be on holes like 17.
Did John Catlin have a hole-in-one?
Q. He did, on 17.
PAUL CASEY: For me, it's approach the first certainly nine holes, probably 10, 11, 12 holes a certain way. It depends on what the course will yield, depending on what the weather is doing, to a certain degree. Holes like 12, which yes, are reachable, but it's depending on the angle of the winds and everything and when you roll through that part of the golf course will determine what you do.
Hope you get the breaks, but for me it's just more of the same, and if we need to change it up on the last couple to chase, that's what we do.
Q. How has it been being home in the UK and playing in front of your home crowd?
PAUL CASEY: I've gained about half a stone, Jaffa Cakes, Crunchie bars. I had to introduce a few people to Bananas & Shrimps, the little firm sweets. I love Pick-n-Mix. You probably don't know what I'm talking about.
Johnny this week, he's infamous for his little sandwiches on the golf course, so it's Branston pickle and cheddar cheese on a nice crusty loaf, doorsteps. I'm still speaking foreign to you, aren't I.
I love it. In short, it's great.
No, I've had a lot of fun. I miss playing over here. Schedules are so international nowadays, and I withdrew last year at Centurion still struggling with injury. To be pretty much fully fit right now is awesome. It's great. Love it. Love the crowd. Love the fact we got some sunshine on a golf course I've not played before in the middle of the country. Lots of friends and family around this part of the world even though I come from further south. It's been an absolute joy.
Q. Tell us about your experience at the party hole and what was your walk-up song?
PAUL CASEY: I think Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling." I've changed it up because it used to be "Song 2" Blur, but the rhythm wasn't right, and it sounds really strange, but part of it is you don't always go with your favorite song. I like the Black Keys, but then again, I probably listen to more dance music than I do anything else, but it's finding the rhythm and it's got a rhythm to it.
It's interesting, I changed that song in Nashville because the song that they were playing or the version of Blur's song didn't -- I don't know if they picked a radio edit or something, but it didn't work on the length of the intro, and it sounds weird, but it's something -- you never think about that stuff before, but I've got it down, so the party hole has been fun this week. It's rowdy as it always is, but it's been a good yardage, a good wind angle. For me it's a firm pitching wedge. I think it's about 160 yards or 150-something yards.
Yeah, hope they're favorable with their pin position tomorrow because I'd love another firm wedge or soft 9-iron. But this whole course, I tip my cap to -- I don't often say it, but tip my cap to the rules officials or the setup guys this week because they could have -- there's been events here in the past, I think the seniors have played, and they could have made this really treacherous. This golf course has teeth, and they've been very, very firm but fair, and I think that's been a nice mix, so hopefully they do the same tomorrow.
Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the last time you won in England was 2009. Does it that sound right?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah. Match play. No, BMW PGA.
Q. What would it mean to win again 15 years later?
PAUL CASEY: Every victory is a great victory. I don't think of the time span between stuff like that. For me it's an opportunity tomorrow, but I've got to -- as I say, I'm not sitting here as the favorite. I'll go out there and play golf, and I'm not worried about that. If I did, it would be amazing, but we'll worry about that -- I'll answer that question tomorrow. Hopefully. We'll see.
Q. Was it easy to shake off the sting of the playoff loss earlier this year?
PAUL CASEY: Valderrama was just a weird kind of 30, 40 minutes that went down for all of the Crushers. I think I made two bogeys in the last three holes in my regular play. I think some other guys folded slightly. Baan then had his slip-up. Then it just kind of spiraled after that.
It is what it is. As disappointing and frustrating as that is, the team thing, we just shake it off. Baan is the one who had the roughest deal, the roughest go of it. Congratulations to Sergio and the Fireballs, but we're very much hungry for more.
It is what it is. That's golf. That's sport. That's what makes it exciting. That's why people tune in. That's why they watch. They want to see drama and action, and there's plenty of it. It's just sometimes you're on the other side of it, and it stings and it hurts, but you move on.
Q. What's the most inventive thing you've heard from the fans these two days?
PAUL CASEY: I try to tune it out, to be honest. There's a lot of banter going on. They were a little bit all over Bryson yesterday. But whatever. I don't know. It's a bit of a cacophony of sound out there to a certain degree, but that first tee yesterday when I stood on there and having the 1st as our first hole, that was fantastic. It was a great atmosphere. Hairs on the back of the neck standing up. I can't wait for tomorrow.
Q. You seem to be really embracing the crowd, but clearly some of the other players are getting a bit flustered by it. Is the rowdiness getting too much out there?
PAUL CASEY: There's a balance, isn't there. I've not had any moments, but there's a balance. We like a bit of banter in the UK, don't we.
Yeah, I think -- as I say, I'm not sure what's gone on out there. I've heard a couple of players who I think are a bit -- I don't know what the right word is, frustrated maybe. I don't know what the line is. But we're pretty good in the UK at finding that line.
But I think we've also got great examples, you look at the darts and things like that, we can dance that line, as well. To me that would be -- I've not had a problem, but as long as fans play that, understand where that line is, and I know they can, and darts is a great example. It's not a thought of mine right now. Not a thought of mine tomorrow. I'm obviously lucky because I get the support, and I think tomorrow is going to be another wonderful day.
Q. I saw Johnny on the range, and he looks really well and healthy again. How good is it to have him back?
PAUL CASEY: Bless him. He's still recovering. There will be check-ups every so often to check that there's no tumors, nothing growing back in his head, other than his brain. He seems to be going through the wars. He took a stone to the eye the beginning of the week, went out on his bike, ended up in the emergency room kind of thing, like A & E. Bless him. I feel for him.
Look, there's certain things -- he's the guy for me. For the last eight years, we've done amazing things on the golf course. You'll notice there's little things; I brought the carry bag out for him this week because this is a pretty hilly golf course, and I wasn't about to lug out the 35-, 40-pound tour bag for him.
I have to look after him to a certain degree, but there's no question when we're out there he's unbelievable, and I think he's doing great. He loves it out here, as well.
I can't speak for him. Every few months there's that worry deep down, but thank God he's alive and he's here, and we embrace it every single day.
Q. You played in Singapore in a DP World Tour event a few months back. Do you plan to play any more events, and what's your status with the Tour?
PAUL CASEY: As you know, I'm Porsche's global golf ambassador and had a long-term relationship with them. Still am doing a lot of stuff. It was awesome to go play in Singapore, the Porsche Classic.
Yeah, obviously I had a blast. It was fun. Seeing a lot of old mates. Yeah, my intention is to play more. Like I stayed away from even qualifying for the majors this year because I'm still struggling with my toe, which I've got surgery on later this year, and then I'll hit all the qualifiers I can next year for majors and things like that.
We'll see what the future holds in terms of that relationship. To be honest, you guys probably know a lot more than we do. That's the honest truth, with where the ecosystem currently sits.
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