Casey in 'hate' storm
Paqul Casey found himself under fire from Ryder Cup team-mate Paul McGinley today for using the word "hate" about Americans.
On the eve of the World Cup in Spain, where Casey partners Luke Donald for England and Irishman McGinley links up again with Padraig Harrington, Casey's comments have inevitably hit the headlines.
"We properly hate them. We wanted to beat them as badly as possible," said the 27-year-old, looking back to the recent match at Oakland Hills.
Casey was at pains prior to practising in Seville today to insist that, with an American girlfriend, coach and home, he does not tar everybody in the United States with the same brush. But he did not deny saying the words during an hour-long interview with a Sunday newspaper journalist and he stuck by his opinion that Americans should not be so insular.
While Donald backed him, McGinley said: "Hate is a bad word to use; a terrible thing in sport. I don't want to stir up any animosity."
None of the American Ryder Cup team is competing this week - Scott Verplank and Bob Tway are playing - but they are not alone in opting out of an event offering a first prize of $1.4million.
At eighth in the world Harrington is the leading player present. Vijay Singh's absence means Fiji are not even among the 24 nations and South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen have stayed away again. The threat of frost has prompted organisers to delay the opening round by an hour.
