Former Irish Open winner and now LIV golfer Paul Casey has been afforded a ‘special invitation’ into next week’s PGA Championship at Rochester in upstate New York.
The 45-year-old English-born golfer will be contesting a career 20th PGA Championship since making his debut in the major in 2002 at Hazeltine.
Casey secured his best finish in any of the 71 majors he has contested three years ago in finishing joint runner-up in the 2020 PGA Championship won by Collin Morikawa at Harding Park in suburban San Francisco.
He was then T4th a year later in the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, and while now ranked No. 131 on the World Rankings, the PGA of America has recognised Casey’s pair of top-4 finishes in his last PGA Championship with an invitation to tee-up next week in San Francisco.
Also, Casey was injured last year and sat out the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh confirmed in February that LIV players would be allowed to compete in the championship saying: “Our decisions are always based on what’s in the best interest of the PGA of America and conducting the best championship possible.
“Sadly, the current division in the professional game is not good for the sport or the future of the game. We hope there might be some resolution soon. In the meantime, as always, our focus will be on our mission to grow the game and improve the lives of our members, who work so hard to impact millions of lives every day.”
Casey is among 18 LIV players teeing up next Thursday on the Oak Hill CC course which is the same number that teed-up earlier this year in the Masters.
However, it’s noteworthy that of the LIV players currently outside of the top-100 on the world rankings and who were team-mates of Casey at the last Ryder Cup in 2021, and they include the likes of Sergio Garcia (Currently World No. 189), Ian Poulter (No. 197), Bernd Wiesberger (No. 199) and Lee Westwood (No. 318) were overlooked for a PGA Championship invitation.
Also receiving a PGA of America ‘special invitation’ into next week’s major was 2012 US Open winner Webb Simpson, currently ranked a low No. 150 in the world.
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