Paul Casey has his heart set on 2020 Team GB Olympic spot

Paul Casey is targeting a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics next year and is determined to represent Great Britain for the very first time. Casey will be looking to finish the season strongly in the upcoming European Tour events, starting with the Porsche European Open this week.

This week's event is at Green Eagle Golf Course in Hamburg, where Casey will hope to continue the trend of Englishmen having success there in recent years.

In 2017, Jordan Smith won his maiden European Tour event and last year, Richard McEvoy won for the very first time in what was his 285th attempt.

Casey, who was a part of Thomas Bjorn's winning Ryder Cup team last year, will be hoping to add to his 13 European Tour titles and will want to improve on his seventh place finish last year.

The top two Britons will represent Team GB at the Olympics and Casey has until June's cut-off point to try and get there. Casey is currently the world No.17 and would miss out on a spot in the team, with Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood ahead of him in the Official Golf World Ranking, while Rory McIlroy has chosen to represent Ireland.

“There’s a lot of golf between now and then. If I make top 15 and don’t make the team, it would probably be the strongest world ranking for British players ever," Casey said.

“For me, having represented England and Great Britain at amateur level and professional level, and Europe in Ryder Cups, it’s the only thing I’ve not really competed in.

“I’ve done a lot of things in golf but haven’t played an Olympics. Japan would be amazing. It’s the one last thing. I’m 42 and have a lot of years left yet, but how many chances will I get to play in an Olympic Games? I’ll be 43 next year. It’s unlikely that I’d make it as a 47-year-old.

“I have lots of other goals. One of my biggest is to make the Olympics so every event between now and the cut-off in June - even if I don’t win this week - I know every position I move up on the leaderboard is a bit of world ranking points.

“It’s a good goal to have, but how do I achieve that? It’s by winning Porsche or having a chance to win the Race to Dubai and all those other events.

“If I were to win two or three times between now and then, I’m probably in. It’s good, because it keeps you focused. This is one of seven events I have left this year.

“I took the time off so I have the energy to compete this week and at Wentworth, Italy, Dubai, Japan, China and Australia and everywhere else I’m going this year.

“I’m not on holiday – I’m not here for the Hamburg weather.”