Who’s feeling confident at the Safeway Open?

OVERVIEW It took nearly nine years between PGA TOUR wins for Paul Casey, a drought he doesn’t intend to replicate. The 41-year-old veteran buried some demons on U.S. soil at the Valspar Championship last season, a feat more incredible given Tiger Woods was on of the closest pursuers. The raucous crowd was willing Woods home but they could not deter the Englishman, who posted a final-round 65 and watched as Woods and Patrick Reed failed to match him. It has now been four straight seasons with a TOUR Championship berth for Casey, where he has notched up 29 top-10s. But he knows he should have more wins. He led the Travelers Championship by four through 54 holes last season and dropped to a runner-up finish. As he gets closer to the end than the beginning of his career, he knows he must make more chances count. His fall series once again showed his consistency as he posted three top-25 finishes from as many starts to turn into the new year at 42nd in the FedExCup. As has been the case throughout most of his distinguished career, Casey once again look to rely on his impressive approach game and then ride the rounds where his putter gets hot. In the last five seasons he’s finished no worse than 13th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green. “The way I strike the golf ball … I don’t stress about technique, I never have,â€� Casey said after his win last season. “I figure everything out and I pick the target and hit it. If it’s a good shot, great. If it’s a bad one and went slightly off line, maybe I make a small adjustment and try not to do the same with the next one. “I’ve never done with that the putting (before). I’ve always been super critical and try to have a great stroke. Now I’m approaching it the same way I approach the rest of the game. It’s carefree. And If it’s not, I’m not beating myself up.â€� — By Ben Everill Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 42nd Playoff appearances: 8 TOUR Championship appearances: 5 Best FedExCup result: 5th in 2016 SHOTLINK FUN FACT Paul Casey led the PGA TOUR last season in Proximity to the Hole from 200-plus yards, averaging 41 feet, 5 inches. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Paul Casey in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Like a fine wine, Casey still gets better with age. A model of consistency on the PGA TOUR the last four seasons, it was certainly fitting to see him win again after a very long drought. With that and his long-held dream of returning to the Ryder Cup now fulfilled, the question turns to his internal motivation going forward. Given his competitive nature, we can assume his name will be prominent on leaderboards next season. — By Ben Everill FANTASY INSIDER: Not unlike the fantasy perspective six days ago for Charles Howell III, who prevailed at The RSM Classic to launch us into the holiday break, the Englishman’s win at the Valspar Championship in March was a welcome bonus. With understanding that winning is hard and occurs infrequently even for the best talent on the planet, we love both guys for fulfilling lofty expectations over time. Since he committed to a largely U.S.-based schedule beginning in 2014-15, Casey has finished inside the top 25 of the all-around ranking and advanced to the TOUR Championship in every season. At 41, he’s illustrated zero reason that he’s coming to a halt anytime soon. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: In 2018, Casey followed suit with a few other former Nike staffers by switching into TaylorMade metalwoods (M4 driver, M1 2017 3 wood, M3 hybrid), Mizuno irons (MP-25 and MP-5), Titleist Vokey wedges (SM6) and a Scotty Cameron putter (Circle T 350-SSS). Will Casey remain a free agent in 2019 ala Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka, or will he sign an equipment contract like Rory McIlroy? We’ll certainly keep a close eye on his equipment changes heading into 2019. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: Casey is one of a multitude of players wearing Nike, but he has carved out a unique look for himself by putting a classic spin on the Swoosh’s athletic threads. Of course, the big mirrored shades are his signature accessory. Expect more of the same from Casey in 2019. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. — By Greg Monteforte

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