Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Open win isn’t everything
ALL I WANT TO DO IS PLAY WELL, INSISTS CHILLED-OUT POULTS
IAN POULTER doesn’t care if he never wins The Open — which might be the key to him finally getting his hands on the Claret Jug.
The Ryder Cup hero said he’s playing some of the best golf of his life after signing for a 67 that puts him in the hunt at halfway in the Scottish Open.
Ten years ago such a bold statement would have been shouted from the rooftops. But the older and wiser Poulter, who stood by the Renaissance clubhouse yesterday, is a different animal from the excitable, brash peacock who once declared that when he plays his best “It’ll be just me and Tiger.”
The sobering reality of almost losing his PGA Tour card following a collapse in form (in 2017) undoubtedly played its part in the 43-year-old’s more humble view of the game.
Yet by no longer putting pressure on himself to deliver, Poulter might just have stumbled upon the final piece of the jigsaw as he prepares for Portrush next week.
Poulter said: “I don’t have to win one. It sounds wrong for me to say I don’t care if I do or I don’t but it’s not the be-all and end-all of my life. If one comes along and I get my hands on it, great. But until it does, I’m not thinking about it. I’ve been chilled about it for a couple of years, since it was all going horribly wrong.
“There are certain times of your life when things are heading in a different direction and it gives you a fresh outlook. It makes you sit back and think that it’s not life or death.
“My life is great. It was pretty miserable a couple of years ago, I have to say, although not that miserable when compared to certain things happening around the world.
“But it just kind of puts things into perspective. Now I’m comfortable with my game. I’m 43, I’m happy, and I’m playing some of the best golf of my life.”
Poulter is relishing the prospect of flying under the radar at an event where he often made himself the centre of attention due to his garish choice of outfits. He accepts there was a time when this week would have been spent planning what outfits to wear.
Poulter added: “Look, I still ironed clothes last night so they’d look sharp today. That hasn’t changed.
“But I don’t have the clown shoes on.
“There are obviously going to be a lot of golfers feeling more pressure than me so I guess I can fly under the radar.
“It’s a great position to be in.”