Is Poulter ready to reign at The Open?
Home favourite defies wind and rain to stay right on Spieth’s tail ‘I’m going to play hard for the fans’
Ian Poulter has promised to ‘play hard’ for the fans in an effort to bring about a first ever Open win at this course for a British golfer.
as Jordan Spieth set the pace at six under, Poulter and Rory McIlroy set the 146th edition alight yesterday with
NO Golfer from the United Kingdom has ever won an open at royal Birkdale but tens of thousands of committed spectators are clearly joined in a steadfast alliance with rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter in a fervent attempt to finally make it happen.
Through the wind and bouts of heavy rain that added their own drama to a wonderful second round, players and fans brought the best out of each another to electrify the 146th edition of the tournament and set the weekend up beautifully.
It is going to be some task given Jordan Spieth is holing putts and playing with that complete assurance he showed in 2015 when he won two majors and finished in the top four in two more.
offering formidable support are US open champion Brooks Koepka and Matt Kuchar, as the Americans threaten to continue their impressive record at this course. But McIlroy and Poulter are buzzing again, the crowd are eager to prove a 15th club in their bags and what a magnificent spectacle it promises to be.
let the latter, who is almost back to his irrepressible best, sum it up. ‘It feels absolutely marvellous to be back in the mix at a major and I can’t wait for tomorrow,’ said Poulter.
‘The fans are unbelievable, I can’t thank them enough for how they’re inspiring me and I’m playing hard for them.’
Spieth took full advantage of the wind dropping late in the day to pick up some gains that may well prove decisive. He finished with a 69 for a six-under-par total and a two-stroke lead over Kuchar, with Poulter a further shot adrift and Scot richie ramsay in uncharted territory in a major on two under after fine rounds of 68 and 70. englishman richard Bland is on one under.
McIlroy, on the same mark as Bland, will start five back and, if that sounds a sizeable deficit against Spieth, remember where he’s already come from, given he was lying 121st after six holes of his first round on Thursday and is now inside the top six.
With one birdie, one bogey and 16 pars, it might sound like a boring round from Poulter but it was hardly that. Here was a golfer showing all his guile and craft, especially at the death, where he demonstrated a Seve-like touch to preserve par from a difficult spot at the 18th and generate one last enormous roar.
Spieth’s round was divided into halves by a vicious downpour that caused a brief suspension in play. When he resumed, the wind that had been gusting up to 35mph had dropped to a breath.
As if Spieth needs that touch of luck the way he’s playing, but trust him to take full advantage. He had two birdies and an eagle in a six-hole spell but will be annoyed at missing a tiddler at the 16th.
McIlroy’s caddie JP fitzgerald may have his critics but all those who clambered over every dune at Birkdale to follow the pair would surely have liked to shake his hand and thank him for orchestrating a stunning sporting revival.
His comment on the sixth tee of Thursday’s early horror show — ‘You’re rory McIlroy, what the f*** are you doing? — not only put into words what everyone has been thinking regarding rory’s play over the past month, but prompted a spell of sustained brilliance from the Northern Irishman that threatens an almighty comeback.
Down and seemingly out at 11am on Thursday, McIlroy is back within touching distance and nobody rides momentum quite like rory. Never mind a seat, there was not a nook nor cranny to be had down the 18th hole as he put the finishing touches to his fabulous round. ‘ I’m proud of myself for fight
ing back from the position in which I found myself on Thursday,’ said McIlroy, who showed off his ball-striking skills over the front nine before relying on his occasionally overlooked short-game prowess on the inward half.
McIlroy made his intentions clear from the off, playing his first six holes in eight fewer shots than he required on Thursday. The bounce in his stride was back and it was accompanied by a renewed sense of resolve to come through on the inward nine.
McIlroy did not hit a green in regulation from the 10th until the 17th as the wind reached its zenith, but saved par on all but one occasion with some exquisite work on and around the putting surfaces.
It says everything about the magic surrounding this open that ramsay, who won the US Amateur Championship in 2006 and has tasted victory three times on the european Tour, rated his first two rounds here as the highlight of his career.
It was on the lancashire coastline in 2012 that the 34-year-old, from Aberdeen, missed the cut at The open and uttered a quote that offers a startling contrast to how he feels now.
‘To keep playing like this would drive me insane,’ he said.
Now he is very much of sound mind and it will be interesting to see how he copes over the weekend. ramsay, who only got into the event two weeks ago following a final-round 65 to finish tied second in the Irish open, said: ‘This is the first time I’ve competed with the big boys through two rounds in a major, so that ticks off one of the boxes.
‘five years ago I was upset and frustrated but thankfully that seems a long time ago now.’
So, after the storm comes the calm, and the promise of a third round today played in sunshine with little wind. A wet golf course, just waiting to be attacked — do you think that might suit McIlroy by any chance?
Come on Poults. Come on rors.
From Back Page some stunning golf that left the 50,000-strong crowd in raptures and themselves in contention. Englishman Poulter is enjoying a stirring revival this summer after missing the last five majors and a Ryder Cup through injury and loss of form. ‘The tank that was completely empty is almost full again and it feels absolutely marvellous to be back in the mix,’ said the 41-year-old, who stayed on three under after a levelpar round. ‘I’m excited for this weekend and I’m confident. I was low, I was down, and I wasn’t happy playing golf for a long time. ‘There was this kid in a yellow jacket who was about six years old who followed me all the way round in the wind and the heavy rain. And he kept shouting, “Come on, Poults”. I’m going to play hard for him and for everyone.’ Asked what it would mean to claim his first major, an emotional Poulter said: ‘I think you can guess how it would feel after the year I’ve had.’ McIlroy defied 40mph winds to produce a stunning 68. Lying 121st after playing the first six holes of his first round in five over par, the Northern Irishman is now on one under and inside the top 10. ‘I’m proud of myself for coming back from where I was on Thursday,’ he said. ‘It was a very good round today, given the gusting winds we were up against.’