Verplank slates Casey over anti USA remarks

Englishman Paul Casey will be in for a hard time on the U.S. Tour next year after his outspoken remarks about American golfers, Scott Verplank warned on Wednesday.

Casey, who is in the England team at the WGC-World Cup of Golf this week where Verplank lines up for the U.S. accused Americans of being ignorant and insular in a Sunday newspaper.

He followed those remarks with criticism of new U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman on Wednesday.

"I stand by my words," said the 27-year-old Englishman who has a home in Scottsdale, Arizona and plans a heavier schedule in next year's PGA Tour. "Americans do have a tendency to wind people up.

"When they are chanting 'USA', though, it just makes you want to beat them even more. They probably fail to realise it sort of riles us and the rest of the world."

Casey referred back to the infamous 1999 Ryder Cup match, when Lehman, along with several of his team mates charged across the 17th green after Justin Leonard had holed out from 45 feet with his opponent Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal still to putt.

"If Lehman wins the Ryder Cup back for the Americans, it will be the best appointment they have ever made," said Casey.

"However, I don't think his appointment will be universally accepted on this side of the Atlantic.

"I think a lot of people are just afraid that it might bring up a Brookline-type situation at the K Club (2006 Ryder Cup hosting club in Ireland)."

Verplank hit back, calling into question Casey's judgement.

"He's obviously got some sort of burr under his saddle about something," he said. "If he's really that uncomfortable or that annoyed, I don't think anybody would miss him if he went back to England.

"I wouldn't think this is the smartest thing to do if you're going to stay over in the United States.

"How can you say derogatory things towards a group of people and not expect some guys to take it personally?"

Verplank, winner of the 1998 World Cup individual title, plays with Bob Tway in this week's event that starts on Thursday, while Casey plays alongside his former Walker Cup partner Luke Donald.

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