Chase for US jackpot helps Casey overcome Ryder Cup omission

Despite losing the BMW Championship in Chicago on Sunday from three ahead with six holes to play, Casey will go into the final leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs with his destiny in his own hands and with another great chance to show what Europe will be missing in the Ryder Cup.

Controversially not picked for the match, he lies fifth on the FedEx Cup points list, which means that victory at East Lake will not only pocket him the 875,000 first prize, but also the near 6.5m ($10m) that goes to the overall winner of the series.

Discovering that certainly eased the pain for Casey after bogeys at the 13th, 14th and 15th and then a birdie by Dustin Johnson on the 17th led to a one-stroke defeat at Cog Hill.

He had earlier played the first 12 holes in a brilliant five-under par and clearly did not want to dwell too long on the finish.

"If it's a match-play situation then I can get frustrated that maybe I didn't play the opponent the right way and reacted to things, but it was myself against the golf course, 72 holes, and I played it one shot worse than Dustin Johnson," said Casey. "That's the way I look at it. Makes me sleep at night!"

At seventh, ninth and 13th in the standings, respectively, Donald, Laird and Rose will need some help to land the jackpot bonus.

If Donald, runner-up in the second play-off event, lands the tournament, the 6.5m will also be his providing current top two Matt Kuchar and Johnson do not finish second to him.

Laird, who lost in sudden-death at the opening tournament, requires a win with Kuchar failing to finish in the first three and Johnson and Charley Hoffman in the top two, while for Rose to do it he would have to win with Kuchar outside the top seven, Johnson the top four and Hoffman, Steve Stricker and Casey not second.

Of the four Europeans among the 30-strong field, Donald is the only one who will then be heading straight to Celtic Manor for the Ryder Cup. Casey is now up to seventh in the world – and could climb higher before the match. But when asked if his omission was extra motivation for him now he replied: "No."

Leeds Union won the 37th Yorkshire Inter District Union of Golf Clubs Team Championship at Doncaster.

The winning team comprised: Kavan Smith (Selby), Adam Frontal (Cookridge Hall), Andy Wiltshire (Pontefract), Richard Law (Low Laithes), David Appleyard (South Leeds) and Simon Coumbe (Pontefract).