And they both produced workmanlike performances, neither doing much likely to influence Faldo one way or the other.

Casey made a slow start with 11 successive pars on a pleasant late summer’s morning at the Boston TPC before finishing strongly for a three-under-par 68, while Poulter carded 70.

They ended the day left in the dust of Canadian leader Mike Weir, who putted magnificently to match the course record with a 10-under 61, three strokes better than Fiji’s Vijay Singh and Americans John Merrick, Briny Baird and Heath Slocum.

“I struggled for a bit. It’s frustrating because the greens were good and I just was not really making anything,” Casey said.

“I finally hit one close on 12 and got the round finally going. It’s nice to get off to a half-decent start.”

Casey picked up further birdies at the 15th and 16th holes, while Poulter carded two early birdies but could not continue his momentum, parring the final 11 holes.

“One under is okay,” he said. “I drove it well, hit my irons well, and I felt like I putted well – only one bogey on the card. I hit some good putts (and) a couple slipped by.”

Casey and Poulter have only one more day to impress captain Faldo, who on Sunday, while the third round is in progress here, will name his two wild card choices for the team to take on the Americans in Kentucky in four weeks.

Both said they were trying to put the Ryder Cup out of their mind while they were on the course.

“You just have to try to concentrate on what you’re doing and I had a job to do today, and that’s play 18 holes,” Poulter said.

“I thought I done a pretty good job. I kept it out of my mind as much as I possibly could.”

Casey added: “I’m as relaxed as they come. I’m focusing on every shot, one at a time.”

While Casey and Poulter started smoothly, the same could not be said for Padraig Harrington, who ran up a triple bogey at the par-five 18th for a four-over 75 that left him dead last.

Singh, meanwhile, continued the sizzling form that took him to victory at last week’s Barclays Championship, reeling off eight birdies in a seven-under 64.

“I have a great attitude on the greens,” said the 45-year-old from Fiji, who recently reverted to the mid-length belly putter after struggling for a while with a regular one.

“I just listen to my head, and my head’s very positive. I think that’s the best attitude you can have, just listen to your own mind.”

As well as he putted, stellar iron play was perhaps the strongest part of Singh’s game, with all of his birdies coming from inside seven feet.