Casey to play for Europe at EurAsia Cup

Paul Casey will represent Europe for the first time since 2008 after being selected as a wild card for EurAsia Cup.

Casey recently announced he would be rejoining the European Tour for the 2018 season, making him available to play in future Ryder Cups for Europe.

Thomas Bjorn, who will captain the European team for the Ryder Cup in Paris next year, will also lead Europe at the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia. He said picking Casey was a ''no-brainer.''

''He is a wonderful player with a lot of experience and I think the young guys can learn a lot from him,'' Bjorn said of the No. 14-ranked Casey.

''He's also got a fantastic match-play record and not just in Ryder Cups. He is comfortable with where he is in his life right now and him wanting to be part of the EurAsia Cup team also shows his commitment to the European Tour and the road he is now on.''

Casey was on the winning Ryder Cup teams in 2004 and 2006, and last played for Europe in the 2008 loss to the United States at Valhalla. He was overlooked by European captain Colin Montgomerie for the 2010 Ryder Cup despite being ranked inside the world's top 10.

Alexander Levy of France got the other wild card to play alongside 10 automatic qualifiers: Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Ross Fisher, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Paul Dunne, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Bernd Wiesberger, Thomas Pieters, Alex Noren and Henrik Stenson.

Europe won the 2016 EurAsia Cup 18.5-5.5. It is the last chance the European team will get to play before it attempts to regain the Ryder Cup against the United States in Paris.

The EurAsia Cup takes place at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur from Jan. 12-14.