Casey hit hard

DIVOTS

Paul Casey's recent anti-American comments seem to be hitting him hard as his club and ball sponsors announced that they would not be renewing his contract next season. Casey, who won the World Cup in Spain with Luke Donald, had told a reporter that Americans have a "tendency to sort of wind people up".

He also questioned the wisdom of Tom Lehman's appointment as the next US Ryder Cup captain. Wally Uihlein, chairman and chief executive officer of the Acushnet company, the maker of Titleist clubs and balls, said: "First and foremost, we want people to understand that Mr Casey's comments do not reflect the views of the Acushnet Company."

The contract expires end of this year and both the parties have mutually agreed that it will not be renewed.

Swinging on the tarmac

Stuart Appleby smashed a drive 630.58m long recently. But before anyone starts looking for new equipment, here's the secret. It was down a 2,438m long airport runway in Sydney in the Longest Drive contest charity organized in the run-up to this week's Australian Open.

Appleby teed up at the Sydney international airport along with fellow Aussies John Senden and Peter O'Malley and New Zealander Micheal Campbell.

"It's still softer than the fairways at the British Open," Appleby joked. Appleby won $5,000 for charity. John Senden was behind him with a 622.98m drive.

Clarke cut season

Darren Clarke has curtailed his season to spend time with his wife Heather, who is undergoing a hospital test after falling ill. The World No. 12 returned from his first tournament win of the year at the Taiheiyo Masters in Japan to discover that his wife might be seriously ill.

He immediately pulled out of this week's Nelson Mandela Invitational at Arabella, near Cape Town, and the following week's Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City. The 36-year-old player is not expected to play until next year.

Bogeyman