NEWS: TOUR NOTES

After battling a rib injury and turf toe over much of the last two seasons, a finally healthy Paul Casey was looking forward to a fast start in 2012.

His season’s debut has been delayed, though, after Casey dislocated his right shoulder in a snowboarding accident. According to the Associated Press, the Englishman will miss the first two months of the year.

As a result, Casey will miss the European Tour’s Middle East swing – including the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship where he is a two-time champion. His participation in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship – where Casey has two runner-up finishes in the last three years – could also be in doubt. The tournament is scheduled for the last week in February.

Casey closed the 2011 campaign out on a strong note with top-10 finishes in two of his last three PGA TOUR starts, as well as solo third at the Chevron World Challenge. He won twice last year at the Volvo Golf Champions on the European Tour and the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea.

The late start to the season could also throw a wrench into Casey’s bid to make the European Ryder Cup team for the biennial matches in September at Medinah Country Club. He was ranked among the top 10 in the world two years ago but didn’t get one of Colin Montgomerie’s Captain’s Picks after failing to qualify automatically.