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Postman Poulter: I’ve dealt with Woods & Co... I’ll leave my stamp on the new kids
IAN POULTER is ready to eclipse a new generation of American stars at the Ryder Cup after seeing off the old guard of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
And Europe’s talisman has predicted more match play “shock results” to make a mockery of the world rankings against one of the strongest USA teams ever.
For the first time since 1993, neither of the USA’S superstars Woods and Mickelson will be in their team at Whistling Straits.
But both Woods and Mickelson had losing records – neither won a point last time out in Paris – as Europe have dominated with seven wins in the last nine. USA skipper Steve
Stricker has reacted by picking four rookies to bring the average age of his team down to 29 – and shed the emotional baggage of previous defeats.
The Americans will have six debutants in total. Europe captain Padraig Harrington preferred experience with the average age of his three wildcards – Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry – at 40.
Fresh
It will be a generation game which Poulter can’t wait to play.
Before his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, the 45-year-old said: “This new team is a fresh challenge. They’re all in the top 20 or 21 in the world.
“This is a strong team. I don’t know if it is the strongest team on paper they’ve ever had. Eight in the world’s top 10. But it’s match play and any player on his day can beat any player. And that’s all we need to do.
“Match play gives up some of the most incredible results that we’ve seen in any form of golf – and we will see it again in a week’s time.
“You always see shock results. This will be no different. We never mind being the underdogs.
“And they have six rookies and there’s a different dynamic there of standing on the first tee at a Ryder Cup.
“They’re very capable players. But they’re going to feel something different, something they’ve never experienced before.” Poulter, dubbed ‘The Postman’ because he usually delivers points, played his first Ryder Cup in 2004 and his first fourball match was against legend Woods.
“I played with Darren Clarke for the first time on Saturday morning. I remember it like yesterday,” he added.
Role
“To be able to stand on that first tee and have someone put their arm around you is a nice position to be in. Now that is my role. Paddy wants me there to inspire some of the players. I will tell our three rookies to embrace it.”
Poulter has not won since 2018 but he is
ranked third on US
Tour putting stats – and behind only the absent Patrick Reed on his one-putt percentage.
The USA will have the longer hitters at super-sized Whistling Straits. But Poulter said: “My putting stats have been good all year. We’re going to need that around that golf course. You have to hole putts at the right time.”
Poulter’s chest-beating heroics in 2012 prevented a run of six consecutive home wins.
He missed 2016 through injury and plays an away tie for the first time since the Miracle of Medinah with European fans unable to cross the Atlantic.
“Playing in front of home fans is pretty unique. It’s inspiring to have 50,000 cheering you on as opposed to what we’re going to get this week,” he added.
“We’ll have a few, and we will certainly hear them.”