Ian Poulter lives and breathes the Ryder Cup. His performances in the biennial match have defined his career and made him a hero for Europeans – and a villain for many Americans. He’s been an integral part of Team Europe for nearly two decades and the star of many of the incredible moments that have lit up the event in that time. The Englishman’s passion and energy inspire teammates and fans alike, and he always delivers when his continent needs him. Here, ‘The Postman’ discusses his amazing journey in the Ryder Cup...
Why do you think you’ve performed so well in the Ryder Cup?
One of my biggest memories is going to the Ryder Cup as a 15-year-old and really loving what it meant from a fan perspective. Being a kid who loved sport, and team sport, I absolutely loved the team atmosphere. I just said to myself ‘I need to make this Ryder Cup team, I want to be a Ryder Cup player, I want to be inside the ropes. I don’t want to be watching it from outside. I want to make it something I enjoy, I love, and I do to the best of my ability’. That’s really how I look back upon what took me to wanting to be a Ryder Cup player.
Your first match was a fourball alongside Darren Clarke against Tiger Woods and Chris Riley in 2004. What was it like starting off against Tiger in America?
I was extremely nervous. Bernhard Langer asking us to sit out the Friday was difficult and just built the anxiety, so when it was time to go and play, it happened to be against Tiger and Chris. Obviously that was going to be a very tough match for me.
この記事は Golf Monthly の September 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は Golf Monthly の September 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Is it Time for the Presidents Cup to Be Scrapped? - The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue?
The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue? Why would anyone even suggest such a drastic course of action? It may sound harsh, but since the inaugural event in 1994, the International team has managed just one victory and one tie while the American team has won 12 times, including nine straight from 2005. It is 26 years since the International team's solitary success in 1998 at Royal Melbourne under the captaincy of the late Peter Thomson.
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