Word at Oakland Hills two years ago was that Paul Casey had a hunch Tiger Woods would be first off in singles, and that the European rookie wanted a crack at him.
It was a good story, Casey concedes, but not entirely correct.
``Would you volunteer to play Tiger?'' Casey said.
Casey said he was riding in a cart Saturday afternoon with European captain Bernhard Langer and teammate Darren Clarke when Langer told them he had a few people in mind to send out first in singles, figuring Woods would lead off for the Americans.
``And he turned and looked at both of us,'' Casey said. ``To which Darren leaned across to me, patted me on the back and said, `Paul, you'll be fantastic!' It was just typical Clarkey. He was trying to give me confidence and he thought I was up for the task, I guess.''
He was wrong. Woods breezed past Casey, winning 3 and 2.
``What can you do? Can't refuse either of those two guys,'' Casey said of his response to Clarke and Langer.
And would he do it again?
Casey smiled.
``Maybe not the same fashion as that,'' he said.
