Poulter sounds his call to arms
IAN Poulter yesterday gave Thomas Bjorn a reminder that Paul Casey is not the only fortysomething Englishman hell- bent on a Ryder Cup comeback next year. Casey’s decision to return to the European fold has dominated the Tour landscape this week but Poulter, who was reduced to the status of assistant captain at Hazeltine, is not a man who likes to be out of the limelight – and he has made an eye- catching start to the Turkish Airlines Open. With the captain looking on appreciatively in the Antalya sunshine, Poulter rattled off a fi ve- under- par round of 66 to sit two shots off the lead. After a turbulent season in which he dropped out of the world’s top 200 and briefl y lost his PGA Tour card – only to have it returned after a recalculation – Poulter wants it known just how much he would like to qualify for Bjorn’s team at Le Golf National in Paris next September.
“I would give, literally, my left arm to play,” he said, without appreciating how that might affect his good form. “I mean, I want to be there,” he hurriedly added. “It’s a good golf course and I’ve had success around that course.”
“The points are weighted a little heavier in the second half of the season next year. There’s a lot of movement going to come. But you can make a dent into that in these next three events.
“I feel pretty good on this golf course and I have obviously played it pretty well today. I’d like to think that if I can take the form from today and improve that over the three days, then we could be in there with a chance here.
“I’m just trying to enjoy some golf and we’ll see what happens come what next year if we’re in position.”
Poulter needs to move in Turkey or South Africa this week to qualify for Dubai where the season will end with the DP World Championship. He stands seven places outside the top 60 on the European Tour.
But the tidy nature of his play at Regnum Carya – after an improvement late in the summer that has moved him up to No54 – suggests he is back on the right track.
“Being No207 in the world rankings is not very nice. I’m in a better position today. Things make a seem to be turning around in what has been a turbulent year,” he said.
“I didn’t know how long it would take to try to get back in but good golf always moves you back up the board and I’ve done a pretty good job.
“I’ve had a few opportunities of being in the mix to close out and I haven’t done that. I guess I just need to learn how to win again.”
Justin Rose opened with a 69 but playing partner Henrik Stenson, who snapped a club connecting with a tree trunk on his followthrough at the 15th, was left struggling after a disappointing 73.
Nicolas Colsaerts shares the lead alongside Haydn Porteous and Joost Luiten, with veteran Padraig Harrington one shot back, heading into today’s second round.