Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OPEN & STRUT
Poulter has his mojo back.. and now he moves like swagger
IT was not quite his bulging-eyed Ryder Cup best but the strut was back.
Ian Poulter could yet be England’s best hope of ending a 25-year Open jinx.
He might trail a clutch of star names that includes fellow countryman Paul Casey, but Poulter produced one of the rounds of the day.
Out early in the most testing conditions, to finish in red numbers was a sign of his returning confidence.
This, don’t forget, is a player who dropped to 207th in the world at the start of the year, a player who had to battle through a final qualifying event to avoid missing a sixth Major in a row.
A player who many thought was in steep and permanent decline.
A player restricted to 13 tournaments last year because of a foot injury.
Yet here he was, shoulders pinned back in defiance of the morning wind and rain, striding confidently after cupbound putts like he has done so many times in Ryder Cup battle.
His mojo is on its way back.
“I didn’t know I was a strutter,” he laughed. “I’m definitely playing with a bit more confidence.”
Poulter, 41, looked sure to lose his American playing privileges earlier this year but a calculation error by the PGA Tour earned him a reprieve.
He duly finished second in the Players’ Championship, the unofficial fifth Major, and suddenly he is back on track.
“I’ve had some low spots in the last 18 months,” he admitted. “So I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to focus hard on what I need to do to get back to my best.” Poulter, whose three-under 67 has him two behind the leaders, was the runner-up here in 2008 but no Englishman has lifted the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992.
It would be an unlikely story for Poulter to win but nowhere as unlikely as
Richard Bland pulling it off.
The 44-year-old from Burton-on-trent also had a 67 but has not won a single European Tour title in more than
400 attempts.
This is only his second Open appearance, his last one coming 19 years ago at this venue when he missed the cut.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Andrew ‘Beef ’ Johnston, who shot one-under 69s, will also be satisfied with their opening day’s work but a couple of fancied home favourites have it all to do.
Lee Westwood, playing in his 23rd Open, stumbled to a one-over par 71. The 44-year-old never looked comfortable, having to wait until the 10th hole for the first of only two birdies. Time is running out for Westwood (left) to end his Major hoodoo. This is his 78th try and his best finishes have been three secondplaces.
Justin Rose (above) has a US Open to his name but cut an angry figure as he struggled to the same total as Westwood, at times covering his mouth with his hand in case the TV cameras picked up on his vocal frustration.