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Micheel expects Ryder Cup-style atmosphere in final
2006-09-16
Shaun Micheel is expecting to get a flavor of the partisan nature of a Ryder Cup crowd when he meets Briton Paul Casey in Sunday's World Match Play Championship final. "I figure I will be a little bit of the underdog and I don't know if there will be anybody out there rooting for me," the 37-year-old American told reporters after beating Swede Robert Karlsson two up at Wentworth on Saturday. "My caddie Tony (Lingard) and I and my wife will stay together all day and root each other on. It (partisan support) started to happen a little bit yesterday (against Briton Luke Donald) on the 14th hole and it kind of threw me for a while." Micheel, who knocked out world number one Tiger Woods in the first round, was below his best against Karlsson and knows he will have to improve against Casey. "Paul is obviously playing extremely well," said the 2003 U.S. PGA champion. "Look at his victories this week, 6 & 4 (against Retief Goosen), 5 & 3 (against Mike Weir) and 6 & 5 (against Colin Montgomerie in the semi-finals), he is obviously playing great golf." The two finalists may be chasing a first prize of one million pounds ($1.89 million), the richest in golf, but Micheel said it was the prestigious title that mattered most. "I don't look at it from a financial standpoint," said the American, who has banked more than $5 million in career earnings. "I don't think where I am today I focus on the money. "I consider this a major championship, without a doubt one of the premier events. To have the trophy would mean a great deal."
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