Golf: Casey to meet Micheel in timely Ryder Cup aperitif

VIRGINIA WATER, England - Paul Casey bulldozed his way past a listless Colin Montgomerie today, crushing his Ryder Cup team mate 6 & 5 to reach the final on his World Match Play Championship debut.

The 29-year-old Briton now meets Shaun Micheel in a timely aperitif ahead of next week's Ryder Cup in Ireland after the American beat Swede Robert Karlsson two up.

"I am very, very happy," Casey told reporters. "I didn't get the usual Colin Montgomerie today.

"For whatever reason he wasn't at his best. It's nice for me it finished early, I wouldn't have liked to go down the stretch against Colin."

Casey had only to produce steady golf to go five up at halfway against Montgomerie, a likely partner in the foursomes or fourballs in Ireland.

The 43-year-old Scot, who complained of tiredness after his 36-hole win over holder Michael Campbell yesterday, struggled to a two-over-par 74 against his opponent's 68.

Montgomerie would have been even further adrift but for a birdie at the 18th, an 18-foot putt that yielded a loud roar of approval from the gallery.

Englishman Casey, who won the China Open and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles earlier this season, went seven up at the 22nd hole before two bogeys in three holes allowed the 1999 World Match Play winner a glimmer of hope.

Montgomerie's day was summed up at the par-four eighth where, forced to take an awkward stance by the side of a mound, he shanked his second like a Sunday golfer and then found water with his third stroke.

Casey effectively clinched victory when he drilled a majestic five-iron to six feet at the par-five 12th and sank his eagle putt.

Montgomerie was gracious in defeat.

"Congratulations to Paul," he said after equalling his worst defeat from 29 matches in the event. "I didn't get any breaks really but that's like saying there were four goals offside when you have lost 6-0.

"This proves how good our (Ryder Cup) squad is. We have a fantastic squad and I look forward now to next week."

While Montgomerie was always on the receiving end against Casey, there was never more than two holes between the other two semi-finalists.

Micheel, who knocked out Tiger Woods and Luke Donald earlier this week, went two down after four holes. He pulled back to all square at the 12th before draining a 30-foot birdie putt at the 13th to go one up, a lead he hung on to at lunch.

Neither player hit the heights, the 2003 US PGA champion recording a 73 while Karlsson carded a 72.

The standard of golf was better in the afternoon, the 37-year-old Micheel emerging triumphant with a six-birdie 68 against Karlsson's 69.

Up for grabs in Sunday's final is the richest first prize in golf, one million pounds ($2.83 million).

- REUTERS