Poulter ready to
KUCHAR: Having a ball pole position. I was not on the good end of the draw but I seem to have ground it out. But I’d have gladly stayed on the couch where I was watching the coverage in the morning and stayed on five under.
“I saw Rory McIlroy make a few birdies early but it’s difficult when it’s raining to have full control of where the ball is going. I knew it was going to get wet. At that point this morning it was tough watching!
“But last year at Troon was brutal and I talked about that with my caddie. I think that prepared me for today.
“There will be nerves in the next few days, but I feel good.” It is only the third time the 23-year-old has opened his Major account with consecutive sub-70 rounds. On the other two occasions, the Masters and the 2015 US Open, he emerged on the Sunday night as winner.
But yesterday, leading British player Poulter said the fans on the course were the real champions.
“These are hardened fans and for them to stay out in those cold, windy, rainy conditions is special,” he said after a level-par 70.
“They definitely help you along the way because it’s not easy out there right now.
“There was a five or six-year-old kid out there who followed me the whole way around in a little yellow jacket.
“It was pouring down with rain, he didn’t have an umbrella, but he was with his dad and he kept saying, ‘Come on, Poults! Come on, Poults!’ I mean, that’s nice.”
Another Englishman, Alfie Plant, 25, from Bexleyheath, guaranteed himself the Silver Medal as highest-finishing amateur when his 73 yesterday, including an eagle on 15, left him on four over par, making him the only one of the five non-professionals competing this weekend to beat the cut. AT ROYAL BIRKDALE THE CALL went out at Birkdale last night for a plucky Brit to step up and prevent an American Alister turning the Open into a procession this weekend. Immediately a hand shot up. Private Poulter was reporting for duty.
Operation Stop Spieth looks the sort of mission taken on either by fools or fantasists with only the rain suspension capable of holding up the princely Jordan yesterday.
But Ian Poulter has built a reputation on staring down higher-ranked Americans in the Ryder Cup and after fighting through a qualifier to be here he has one in his sights again.
After carving out a level-par 70 he rated higher than his opening 67 in yesterday’s conditions, he lies just three shots back in third place.
“This is a massive bonus for me to be in this position and I’m loving it. I really am. I haven’t played a Major for a little while and I can’t wait for this weekend. I’m excited. I’m pumped up. I feel my game’s coming back to form. I’m ready to go out there toe to toe with anyone,” said Poulter.
“This isn’t quite Ryder Cup but it is the Open Championship and I’m going to love to grab that Claret Jug with two hands, if I can. So whoever is in front, whether they’re American or whether it’s another Englishman, I’m going to want to get myself in front of them come what may on Sunday night.
“The large confidence tank that was empty a few months ago is starting to fill up. And I like it when it gets full up. I play some of my best golf when I’m pretty confident. And I’m excited for this weekend. I can’t wait.
“Hopefully I’ll be one stronger than in 2008.”
Poulter finished runner-up to Padraig Harrington the last time the Open was staged at Birkdale nine years ago. He represents
the nearest challenger in the British contingent after birthday boy Paul Casey blew out with a 77.
Hampshire’s Richard Bland also fell away after a strong start but whatever happens over his weekend he can always tell the grandkids he led the Open. Two birdies in his opening four holes put the 44-year-old journeyman – who has never won on the European Tour in 416 appearances – alongside Spieth for a time.
Spieth and his compatriot Matt Kuchar will head out in the final group after passing the Birkdale endurance test with flying colours yesterday.
The North-west provided a dismal English seaside summer postcard with leaden skies and whipcracker winds the prelude to puddles and squeegees but as a backdrop for the fighting qualities of the Texan it was perfect.
Handed the worst of the conditions, he discarded the hard-pressed umbrella to deliver a stretch of incredible golf after the turn. A chip-in par save at the 10th was followed by back-to-back birdies after he almost holed his tee shot at the 12th.
The curling 15ft putt for eagle at the 15th put him on course for a 69 and a two-stroke lead. If it is his long game which has improved this season, the red-hot putter which brought Spieth two Majors in 2015 looks to be warming up again at just the right moment. The 23-year-old is undeniably the man to beat this weekend STRIDING the fairways of Royal Birkdale yesterday was a man who had a clear idea of his identity. His grin was fixed, his eye had a glint and his gait was purposeful.
He was Rory McIlroy and he knew exactly what he was **** ing doing.
From the moment he birdied the first to a huge cheer from the excited crowd that followed his every step around the links, he was reminding everybody else, as well as himself, what all the hype over the years had told us McIlroy was about.
Caddie JP Fitzgerald rebuked him in uncompromising fashion