Poulter resorts to famous ‘miracle’ putter
Ryder Cup club dusted off to save Masters bid Match Play could return Briton to world’s top 50
Ian Poulter will employ the weapon that inspired golf’s greatest fightback in his mission to capture a late spot in the Masters.
The 42-year-old Englishman competes in the WGC-DELL Match Play here on the quest to “at least make it into the semi-finals” and so re-enter the world’s top 50 in time for Monday’s cut-off qualification point for Augusta.
And in an attempt to emulate Rory Mcilroy’s remarkable victory at Bay Hill on Sunday and turn his form on the greens around in a few days, Poulter has reached for the putter which earned legendary status at “The Miracle of Medinah”.
Tommy Fleetwood, his opponent in today’s opening group match, may wince at the sight of the Odyssey 7, the club that launched that Ryder Cup resurrection when Poulter reeled off five birdies in a row to give his continent a heartbeat.
For the past six years it had been a mere curio in his Florida house, until Sunday and his latest indifferent display. “I used it after the Ryder Cup for a period of time, in fact I won the WGC in China with it,” Poulter said. “But from then, it’s been there in my office in my Ryder Cup bag, acting more as a memento.
“Why have I gone back to it now? To get the mojo back, just like Rory did with his putting last week. He’d been struggling and then found something. It can happen just like only one with a problem in Houston. Lee Westwood – who, down in 89th in the world, did not make it into this 64-man field – would also need a victory in Space City. Otherwise, for the first time since 2004, the two-time runner-up will not be at the Masters, which starts on April 5.
“I was in that boat last year and all I can say is that it hurts – it hurts bad,” Poulter said. “I don’t want to miss the Masters again because I know I’m playing well enough.”
Poulter has agreed in principle to be part of Sky’s commentary team at Augusta. “It’s not a future career option, no,” he said. “Maybe it would act as motivation, maybe that pain of being there and not actually teeing it up would act as a kick up the backside.
“It appears simple what I have to do here – win five games. Easy right? But it ain’t, because they’re all great players and on paper, I’m the underdog in the group..”
His glory days do seem in the wing mirror, but Poulter insisted: “[Phil] Mickelson’s just won at 47, Tiger’s looking like he’s going to win very, very soon at 42. Yeah, I’ve got mileage left in my legs for sure.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed last night that US Open champion Brooks Koepka will miss the Masters due to an ongoing wrist injury.