Justin Rose believes being overlooked for a wild card in 2010 is behind Paul Casey's decision not to rejoin the European Tour, meaning he will be ineligible for the 2016 Ryder Cup.
Casey, who is based mainly in Arizona, gave up his membership after deciding to concentrate on the PGA Tour in order to get back into the world's top 50.
The move has paid off with the former world number three climbing from 75th at the end of last season to 24th, but even this week's change in membership criteria has not been enough to persuade the 38-year-old to rejoin.
C asey played in the record nine-point wins in 2004 and 2006 and Europe's last defeat at Valhalla in 2008, but was in tears after being overlooked for a wild card by captain Colin Montgomerie in 2010, when he was ranked seventh in the world.
" He's a very, very good player and a great match-play player and I can only see him improving his world ranking," Rose said. "He's playing very solid golf and I expect Paul to have a big year next year.
"It c ould be another situation where he's in the top 10 in the world and not playing the Ryder Cup. I think obviously when Monty didn't pick him in 2010, I think that's left a bit of a scar.
"Maybe from that point of view, when you put so much into the Ryder Cup and feel like you should be on the team and you get let down like that, maybe that's harbouring some of his decision-making to this day."
European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley had been optimistic Casey would rejoin after reducing the number of tournaments required to maintain membership from 13 to five, excluding majors and WGC events, with next year's Alstom Open de France also counting as two of the five after being pitted against the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
And Rose added: " I think five tournaments, you can find those if you're willing for sure. I think the Ryder Cup is probably a big enough carrot where it warrants that, and Paul's a player that's going to be missed on the team. It's disappointing."
Source: PA
