Ian Poulter needs his inner ‘match play ninja’ to show
He’s looking to pull back into top 50 to claim Masters spot.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Memories are strong in match play, which might explain why Ian Poulter picked up a new nickname.
Golf held its version of a selection show Monday night at a downtown hotel when the 16 four-man groups were drawn for the Dell Technologies Match Play. Poulter is the No. 58 seed in the 64-man field, and when his number popped up, he was referred to as a “ninja” in match play. Not just once. Three times. “I’ve never really gone up against a ninja before in my life, so it will be a new experience,” said Tommy Fleetwood, who faces Poulter in the opening session. “I don’t know what’s in Austin, but if there is like ‘Karate for Dum- mies’ that I can start up on just before Wednesday, I’ll give it a visit.”
He spoke with respect, as most do when it involves Poulter and this head-tohead format.
Fleetwood was finishing up his first full season on the European Tour in 2012 when he watched the Satur- day afternoon session of the Ryder Cup at Medinah from his home in England. Poulter, fists shaking and eyes bulg- ing, birdied the last five holes to earn a crucial point in a fourballs match with Rory McIlroy along as merely a witness. The momentum carried forward to the final day when Europe staged a record-tying comeback to win.
“It was pretty epic,” Fleet- wood said. “Hopefully, that stays a memory.”
That’s all it is right now — a memory.
Still to be determined is which Poulter he faces today. It could be the guy who took his place in Ryder Cup lore at Medinah, who never lost a Ryder Cup sin- gles match, and who won this World Golf Championship in 2010. Poulter has won 23 matches in the Match Play, tied with McIlroy and Paul Casey for the most among those playing this week (Tiger Woods holds the record of 33 matches won).
Or it could be the guy who hasn’t won a tournament in more than five years. Yes, there are match play nin- jas, and Poulter falls into that category.
“You know if you’re playing Poulter, that reputation comes with him to the first tee,” McIlroy said.
But that usually starts with playing good golf.
No one called Dustin Johnson a match play ninja when it took him four tries just to get out of the first round. He is not the defending champion because of his prowess in this format. He won last year because no one was playing better golf.
It’s a big week for Poulter. He ended last year at No. 54 in the world, just outside the top 50 who were assured of getting into the Masters. The Match Play offers big ranking points, but everyone around him is in Austin. Not only does he have to win his group, Poulter likely would need to reach the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon to move up high enough to crack the top 50.
“Next week might be a blessing,” Poulter said Sunday at Bay Hill after he closed with a 2-under 70 to tie for 41st.