Paul Casey will play through fatigue barrier to claim first major

Paul Casey will continue to have treatment all week at The Masters and looks like having to play through the fatigue barrier to win his first major.

While it is all systems go for Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, England's other two players in the world top 10, Casey is still some way from being fully fit after missing his Houston Open title defence last week with shoulder problem and rib problems.

Europe's top three - not one of whom has won a major yet, of course - were practice partners yesterday, although for Poulter it was only nine holes so he could watch Arsenal's Champions League game.

Casey and Westwood completed the round in the scorching heat, but the former admitted he was "a bit stiff" by the end and was feeling his legs.

"It was great for probably 13 or 14 holes, but then I got a bit tired," he said. "It's probably because I didn't play last week."

Augusta's hills make it one of the toughest walking courses, even more so in extreme temperatures, and he said: "I would not want to play 36 holes (a day) round here.

"As for the shoulder, I'm having ultrasound and cold laser at nights, anti-inflammatories, massage - and that will continue all week."

Last summer, of course, Casey tore a rib muscle just before The Open and could not even play the US PGA a month later.

"I've come to realise it's clearly about getting older." added the 32-year-old.

"I'm not overly-excited about my physical state, but from a mental state, which has probably been the thing that has not been my strongest asset in the past, I'm much more mature than two years ago.

"It's so annoying I don't quite have the ball-striking I did then, but I still have my length and I feel good about my chances, I really do.

"This is a course where you need to be incredibly patient and plot your way round like a chess game."