JUSTIN Rose believes Paul Casey and Jon Rahm can bring some much-needed firepower to Europe’s Ryder Cup team when they look to regain the trophy in Paris in 2018.
Casey, who is based mainly in Arizona, was ineligible for last year’s defeat at Hazeltine after giving up his European Tour membership to concentrate on the PGA Tour in order to get back into the world’s top 50.
The move has paid off with Casey climbing from 75th at the end of 2014 to his current position of 15th and the 40-year-old will rejoin the tour for the start of the new season in late November.
“I think it’s brilliant,” said Rose, who believes that being overlooked for a wild card in 2010 was a factor in Casey giving up his membership and “left a bit of a scar,” something which Casey denies.
“The way he’s played this last year he’s shown incredible consistency in form and just the way he plays golf, a power player, he will be such a massive addition.
“He can play any format, he’s experienced and he’s the kind of player we need to strengthen up the team.”
Rahm only turned professional in June 2016 but has already won on both sides of the Atlantic and is currently ranked fifth in the world.
“I’m getting ahead of myself but if you add in Jon Rahm as well, they are two massive additions to our team and maybe we didn’t have that type of firepower at Hazeltine,” Rose said ahead of the Turkish Airlines Open.
“They are guys who are very comfortable against the Americans as well.”
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