England’s Paul Casey played down suggestions that he is simply tuning up his game during his LIV Golf off-season, instead insisting that a win is the only thing on his mind as this week’s Moutai Singapore Open.

The 48-year-old needed toe surgery this time last year but showed strong enough form throughout the past season for a 16th-place finish on the LIV Golf Individual Standings. But he is still seeking his first ever individual win – an agonising play-off defeat to American Patrick Reed back in June was the closest he came this season.

The former Ryder Cup player is one of the marquee names at Singapore Island Country Club this week, and he gets his first round underway today at 12:20pm alongside recent Jakarta International Championship winner Wade Ormsby of Australia and in-form Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Kazuki Higa of Japan.

With 21 professional titles to his name, Casey is going into the prestigious tournament, the eighth of nine events on The International Series, in the right mood – eager to bounce back from a disappointing T59 at the Link Hong Kong Open last week. He said: “I don’t want to say that I am using these events to stay competitive. I went to Hong Kong to try and win, and I am here this week to try and win.

Paul Casey.

“These aren’t just to try and stay competitive. That is totally the wrong messaging for me. I am here because I love playing golf around the world. I don’t get on a plane and travel for 6,000 miles to just have a Singapore Sling or something down at Raffles. That is not what I do.

“It is better after Hong Kong; I got some practice in last week. My season has ended so it was a little bit of trying to get the game in tournament shape for Hong Kong. Wasn’t quite there. I played with this guy (Miguel Tabuena) for the first couple of days. He saw that. But now the game is getting pretty good, in a weird way.

“This time last year I had just come off surgery on my toe, so I feel like I am in a much better place with my golf game. And I am excited about my game, working very hard on it. It is my 25th season and I am still excited and full of energy. Although I haven’t won this year, there has been some very, very good golf played.”

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.