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THE BARCLAYS

August 27, 2015

Paul Casey

Edison, New Jersey

Q. Excellent start today, 66. How do you reflect on that one?
PAUL CASEY: Thank you. I didn't think it was going to be easy today. Saw the scores before we teed off. Bubba played a blinder out there. He's got the ability, he's the length and he has got the ability to shape the ball, which I think you need around a Donald Ross.

Not a great start. Awesome eagle on No. 4. Got lucky with the tee shot, and it was very, very steady after that. So very, very happy with the start.

Q. Around the turn, the momentum you got. Talk us through a couple of the birdies?
PAUL CASEY: Probably too much club off the tee on 10. Left myself about 95 yards, which you won't see many guys going from that distance. Kicking myself when I knocked it past the pin. It was a treacherous putt coming down the hill, very slippery but rolled it in. Played it straight and stayed on line.

Q. Off that, converted the birdie, looking for two in a row.
PAUL CASEY: That makes me laugh because it didn't get more than 12 feet off the ground, I don't think. It was actually a thinned 52-degree wedge. Jim Furyk, bless him, hit one of the best drives of the group and made par. I thinned it and made birdie and Kevin chunked it and also made birdie. You don't always have to flush it but you've just got to putt it in the right place around this golf course.

Q. You've had a really good season, a couple of playoff losses; do you feel that first win of the year is close?
PAUL CASEY: You never know, with fields as strong as this and as golf courses as difficult as this. You just have to put yourself in position.

Fortunately I'm playing some good golf and I feel like I can put myself in position. Last week I felt that the opportunity was there. Davis played a blinder, it was magnificent golf and I struggled through the middle of the final round last week and just ran out of holes really, coming down the stretch.

But this is a good time. If you're going to have a win, now is the time. I want to get to Atlanta. I want a chance to win the FedExCup. I had the chance in 2010 and would dearly love that again.

Q. Concentrating solely on the PGA TOUR this year, a Ryder Cup discussion which I won't have with you now, but maybe later in the week; but not over-playing, not over-traveling. How significant has that been for you this week?
PAUL CASEY: I think it's been key, it really has. And with Lex, who is almost a year old now, I've certainly not over practiced. Spent a lot more time at home. And it's worked out very, very well. I've struck a nice balance. You basically are asking the question, aren't you, but we will see.

Q. You have time.
PAUL CASEY: I do have time on that and there's quite a lot of golf to focus on between now and then, making that decision. But I dearly love the position I'm in right now and loving my life on and off the golf course.

Q. You closed with seven consecutive pars, but a really good day for you.
PAUL CASEY: Thank you, yeah, it was. Wasn't necessarily looking forward to getting out there. Windy, a difficult Donald Ross. It's long, it goes straight from fairway to deep rough on some very severely pitched fairways, and looking at what Bubba and the other guys have done out there, it was a tall task to go out and try to catch them.

Got off to a birdie and a bogey, not a great start. Lucked out with the eagle on No. 4 and that kind of kick-started things and then kept the momentum after that.

Q. You talked last week after being refreshed and excited for the Playoffs. You played that way today.
PAUL CASEY: I've not over-practiced. Although I was seen at the golf course on Tuesday, which is rare for me. My caddie was sick, as well, yesterday. He had food poisoning. I had a stand-in, and he was great. Paul caddies here on the weekends and he was fantastic. Gave me some good lines off the tee. Because of that, because of David being sick, I actually didn't practice yesterday afternoon.

Again, maybe that played into my hands by kind of not over-working things. I'm feeling good. This has been sort of the plan for awhile for the last couple of nos. I knew what I wanted to do and make sure I was fresh coming into these things. I've gone all the way to Atlanta before, and it's fatiguing. It's a challenge. I'm pretty fit right now anyway. Been spending a lot of time on the bike, so feeling good.

Q. Quick turnaround and tomorrow morning it's going to be chilly.
PAUL CASEY: I live in Arizona. This whole thing about you must like it, it's raining, it's cold, you must like it, you're from England. I've lived in Arizona 19 years, trust me, I'm really soft. Hopefully it won't be too cold.

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