Poulter is frustrated as hopes fade away

IAN Poulter could not hide his frustration after seeing his chances of a first major title fade on day three at the Open.

The Englishman, who was three shots off the lead heading into the third round at Royal Birkdale, ended last night nine adrift of pacesetter Jordan Spieth after a shooting a one-over-par 71.

Poulter began with a bogey at the first hole and could not build momentum. He did make four birdies but these were offset by four more bogeys.

On a day when conditions were much more favourable than the previous two days, the 41-year-old felt he had missed a big opportunity.

He said: “It’s disappointing, extremely disappointing - easy conditions and the greens were soft. No excuses. From a three-putt at the first, which was poor... it’s a real shame.”

On the gains Poulter made around the turn, he added: “I tried to get some adrenaline going and just threw them all away.”

Poulter was in little mood to speak after his round and spent just over a minute with reporters, bluntly summing up his feelings at one point by saying “S*** happens”.

Asked what he could do to turn things around today, he said: “Not to make stupid mistakes. There were too many stupid mistakes.

“I made one bogey yesterday in all those treacherous conditions we had and then I made five bogeys today. It’s not good enough, simple as that. I’m p***** off. I don’t know what else to say.” Ian Poulter