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A rare injury caused the talented Englishman to tumble down the rankings but he is fit again and firing in Shanghai

The can’t-miss kid is on the comeback trail. Paul Casey, perhaps the most naturally gifted of a golden generation of English golfers that includes Luke Donald and Justin Rose, harbours realistic hopes of winning a major in 2012 but first there is the HSBC Champions tournament.

The final World Golf Championship event of the year represents one of Casey’s last opportunities to make something of a year blighted by injury and poor form. While his old pal and amateur team sparring partner Donald has ascended to the top of the world rankings, he has almost faded from view. The forgotten man of European golf isn’t a title to boost anyone’s ego but it is one Casey is prepared to accept.

“It’s true, because let’s face it, the year has been disappointing for me,” he said, while pointing out that he has won twice [in Bahrain at the start of the European Tour season and at a minor event in Korea a few weeks ago]. “But all of that pales into comparison when you look at what Luke has done. I’m still around 25th in the world rankings but compared to how some of the other boys have played this year I am way, way down.”

But perhaps not for long. At the halfway point in Shanghai Casey found himself tucked nicely inside the top 10 after a second round of 66, three shots behind the tournament leader, Freddie Jacobson of Sweden. A victory may be asking too much of a man still operating at “75 to 80%” of full fitness but the mere fact of Casey being in contention is something of a triumph.

“In Bahrain I didn’t even play my best, I just ground it out and beat a bloody good field. I was ecstatic, thinking I can win yet there is still so much room for improvement. And then came the injury and it all went sour,” he said. “At first I thought I had been bitten on the foot by something, then I thought I might have arthritis. Then I thought I might have broken a small bone somewhere. I was even tested for gout.”

Eventually, Casey was diagnosed with something called “turf toe”. “It affects NFL players, rugby players. You can get it from some kind of trauma or from repetitive bad movement on the toe,” he said. “I had to Google it to find out what it was.”

Turf toe. Silly name, serious consequences – especially for a professional, who believe it or not, relies a great deal on good footwork. The Englishman’s was restricted, with damaging consequences for his swing and ultimately his performances. “There were times during the summer where I could barely walk round the course never mind play the kind of golf I know I am capable of,” he said.

Indeed, such has been his decline over the season he ended up losing his PGA Tour card in the States after finishing outside the top 125 on the money list. This was a blow to the ego, even if it will have little effect on where and when he plays next year. His world ranking will gain him entry into the majors and any event in America he wants to play in, but with a Ryder Cup looming in 2012 he is set to focus a little bit more on European events.

Infamously, he was left out of the 2010 Ryder Cup side despite being ranked in the world’s top 10. Worse still, at least in his opinion, was that the news of the team selection and his omission was made public while he and other contenders for places were still playing in a tournament in the US. “I’m not one for talking about the Ryder Cup that far in advance, but making the team is a major goal for me,” he said, adding that he had no problem with being left out at Celtic Manor.

“What I did have a problem with was the way the announcement was made, when some of us were still playing. I’m on the [European Tour] players’ committee and I am definitely going to bring it up as soon as I can. The system needs to change before this year’s team announcement.”

The thoughts of Jacobson, who has based himself in the US since 2004, were also on the Ryder Cup. “I’m starting to get into a lot of the tournaments where I can create points both on the European list and when it comes to world ranking points,” he said after leaving Lee Westwood four back and Rory McIlroy six adrift. “I might get my European Tour card back from the few tournaments that I play this year. That gives me more options.”