Backing for Ashes golf

AN Ashes showdown on the golf course could be an epic edition to the golfing calendar, if a gap in the packed schedule can be found.

English Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter said a clash with the best Australians in a team event would be an “incredible match-up”.

Between them Australia and England boast 11 of the world’s top 40 players, including Poulter (No.35) and his partner at next month’s World Cup of Golf, Tyrell Hatton (23). Both represented Europe in the Ryder Cup against Team USA in September and are strong advocates of playing for their country as much as possible.

That would include any opportunity to take on the Aussies, which the English pair will do at Metropolitan next month when Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith lead the home team’s charge.

“I mean, I would love it. I would love the opportunity and I think it would be an absolutely incredible match-up,” Poulter said of an Ashesstyle showdown.

“There’s definitely opportunities to look at ways to make great events. Obviously the Ryder Cup being the pinnacle of it, and I think that certainly would be a hard one to rival with the history. But when you look at how big that event’s got, you can always look, try and emulate tournaments like that if an opportunity arises and the calendar opens itself up.”

Poulter, who won the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath in 2011 and was runner-up behind Adam Scott the next year, said representing England brought the best out of him. But he conceded the Aussies should be the team to beat at the World Cup of Golf. “We do look good on paper,” he said. “But I definitely see that Australian partnership as being favourites.”