Casey confident of major success

Casey rose to number three in the world rankings before injury last year

Paul Casey defends the Houston Open on Thursday with an eye on a first major title a week later at the Masters.

Nick Faldo was the last British winner of the Masters in 1996 but Casey, 32, said: "I'm older, greyer, and feel like the next decade is my big opportunity."

Casey was 20th at Augusta in 2009 after winning a play-off the week before and added: "It took a bit out of me but I'd hope to deal with it a bit better now."

Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington also feature this week.

Casey's best finish at the Masters came in 2004 when he was sixth, but after missing the cut in 2005 he was not in the field a year later.

He recorded respectable 10th and 11th places in his next two appearances on the hallowed Augusta turf but admitted his preparations last year were affected by his victory in Houston.

"It was a long tournament last year with all the rain delays that we had and I think emotionally it took a little bit out of me," said the Phoenix-based Englishman, who is still to completely recover from the torn rib muscle that kept him out for several months in the second part of 2009.

"If you don't have everything in place going into a major then you're going to be found out and I think that showed where I finished at Augusta the following week.

"If you look at results after winning tournaments in Europe I have struggled slightly the following week, winning in Abu Dhabi and missing the cut a couple of times in Qatar."

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Casey, who has four top-10 finishes to his name already this season and was runner-up to Ian Poulter in the World Golf Championship Match Play event, said his coach Peter Kostis is already gearing him towards being perfectly prepared for the challenge of Augusta.

"Peter said to me 'you're going to defend this week but you realise that I want you to be very much ready for Augusta," added Casey.

"I said 'that's fine but I'd love to be in the same position as last year.' I'd love to have a win under the belt and be teeing it up next week. If that's the case hopefully I can stay a bit fresher.

"Augusta just suits my game and although my debut remains my best there, I'm maturing as a golfer and a person every year."

Two-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson and 50-year-old Fred Couples, who won his third tournament of the season on the Champions Tour last weekend, also feature at the Redstone Golf Club this week.

America-based Englishmen Luke Donald and Greg Owen are in the field, along with Scotsman Martin Laird and highly rated German Martin Kaymer.

World number six Ernie Els, winner of the last two tournaments on the US Tour and seeking his first green jacket at Augusta, heads a high-quality line-up.

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