THE David Howell-Paul Casey partnership is here to stay - that was the conclusion the pair reached after yesterday's heroic Seve Trophy victory over Continental Europe.

A year after being one of the pivotal pairings in the Ryder Cup success over the United States at Oakland Hills, the duo bounced back from an opening day foursomes defeat to Niclas Fasth and Peter Hanson in sensational style.

They won their Friday fourball plus Saturday's greensomes and foursomes together, while they continued in that impressive form in yesterday's singles.

Now Howell and Casey are aiming to stay in touch for a Ryder Cup place next year at the K-Club, in Ireland, and they are keen to renew their partnership against the Americans.

"I am sure we would both be delighted if we qualified. If it panned out we both got there it would be great," said Howell, who has also built up a strong friendship with his team-mate away from the greens.

"We have only played one fourball match in the Ryder Cup and we enjoyed playing together. But there's an obvious pairing there because of the times we have played together and where we are from. We get on well and form a strong team."

Casey's poor Thursday at The Wynyard Club was kick-started after Howell had teased him about his under-performing.

But he was delighted to show the North-East golfing public exactly what he is capable of, highlighted by yesterday's 4&3 win over Sweden's Niclas Fasth.

"I didn't play well enough on the first day. It was nice to be able to go out after that in the same team and show everybody the golf we can play," said Casey.

"My golf is great now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season, I have a few events left. I am looking forward to trying to qualify for the Ryder Cup and getting back into the big events."

After Howell had humiliated Thomas Bjorn 6&5 around The Wynyard it emerged the Denmark golfer had played the final day with flu symptoms.

And Howell, speaking after the GB&I team had been presented with the trophy, joked: "I didn't realise.

"I was aware he was becoming sicker and sicker as we got through 13 holes, and it was clear what the result was going to be."

Welshman Bradley Dredge was the man who secured the match-winning point for Britain against Jose Maria Olazabal's European team, who now trail Colin Montgomerie's team 3-1 in the Seve Trophy series.

Dredge, a rookie of the tournament, said: "It was good to be the man.

"I haven't had the best of weeks so it was important for me to go out there and get on top of Thomas Levet (beating the Frenchman 2&1).

"All of us out there knew the situation and I had to just take care of my own situation.

"All I wanted was my own point and that really is all that matters. Whether I finished things off is not really important."

Published: 26/09/2005