Joy of six for calm Casey
Paul Casey is second at the US Open after firing a six-under-par-66 and the Englishman says the course suits his eye.
Casey came closest to joining Rickie Fowler atop the leaderboard.
He teed off in the late afternoon field and dealt with the windy conditions and fast course in admirable fashion.
The current world number 14 chipped in from 30 yards to eagle the first and he birdied three more holes on the front nine to turn at four under par.
After a bogey on the 10th, his second of the round, Casey had three birdies in his closing eight holes to move within one of the lead.
“I’m ecstatic,” said the 39-year-old afterwards. “I’m over the moon with a 66.
“I’m feeling really, really good about this golf course. I like classic US Open courses but this is different. It has an Open Championship feel about it.”
Casey has 13 European Tour wins to his name and only one on the PGA Tour but since settling in Arizona he has cut an assured figure in the USA.
His best finish at a major is a tie for third at the 2010 Open.
Casey’s straight hitting will hold him in good stead this week and he is also a player in form – in his last five tournaments he has not finished outside the top-22 once.
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