By Norman Dabell
CASARES, Spain (Reuters) - World number four Paul Casey plans a cautious approach when he returns after a three-month injury absence at this week's World Match Play Championship.
"The (rib) muscles still hurt but I'm at last at the stage where I can play, and play without doing too much damage which is the important thing," the Briton told reporters on Wednesday.
"I'll still have to be cautious."
Casey has been sidelined since the British Open in July, dropping from first to fourth in the Race to Dubai money list.
"I want to get back into position on the Race to Dubai but I have to take it one step at a time," said the Englishman.
WORKING OUT
"I'm taking anti-inflammatories, all pretty mild stuff, but I don't want to mask any pain. I made that mistake by taking cortisone and hitting balls and starting working out again a little while ago and that set me back again.
"It's been very frustrating sitting around but this happens to athletes. I'm not going to worry about what could have been, I'd just like to finish the season the way I started it when I got to the top of the order of merit," added Casey.
The 2006 World Match Play winner has been drawn in the same group as double U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, U.S. Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim and twice European Tour winner Scott Strange of Australia.
The new format in the tournament that starts on Thursday sees four groups of four players compete in a round robin over the first two days, with the leading player from each section qualifying for the semi-final knockout stage.
Draw (prefix denotes seeding, British unless stated):
Group A: 1-Paul Casey, 8-Retief Goosen (South Africa), 9-Anthony Kim (U.S.), 16-Scott Strange (Australia)
Group B: 4-Sergio Garcia (Spain), 5-Martin Kaymer (Germany), 12-Robert Allenby (Australia), 13-Oliver Wilson
Group C: 3-Henrik Stenson (Sweden), 6-Rory McIlroy, 11-Angel Cabrera (Argentina), 14-Simon Dyson
Group D: 2-Lee Westwood, 7-Camilo Villegas (Colombia), 10-Ross Fisher, 15-Jeev Milkha Singh (India).
(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
