Paul Casey became one of an increasing number of young British golfers to take a golf scholarship at an American college when opting to study at Arizona State University.

The trans-Atlantic transition did not effect the standard of his golf play, though, as he won major college titles in the US, while also returning to win the English Amateur Championship in 1999 and 2000, breaking the contest's scoring record (previously held by Tiger Woods) in the latter year.

It was inevitable that Paul Casey would turn professional and in 2001 he joined the European Tour, where he made an immediate impact, winning just the 11th event of his Tour career, the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship, and collecting the tour's Rookie of the Year award too.

After a disappointing second season Paul Casey won the ANZ Championship and the Benson and Hedges International Open in 2003, and came sixth on the Order of Merit.

In 2004 he made a victorious debut on the European Ryder Cup team and also won the WGC-World Cup for England in partnership with Luke Donald. His Ryder Cup exploits qualified him for membership of the US-based PGA Tour, but he has continued to play mainly in Europe.

In 2006 Paul Casey won the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, beating Shaun Micheel 10 and 8 in a record victory for the final.

A big-hitter and a proven birdie maker, inconsistency has sometimes been his downfall, but Casey started 2009 with a win on the European Tour in the Abu Dhabi Championship, followed by a maiden American success in the Houston Open.