I’m back on course
IAN POULTER is back in the world’s top 100 for the first time in a year and appreciating the good times after what he admits was the toughest period of his professional career.
Poulter, 41, awoke yesterday to find that his runner-up finish at the Players Championship had catapulted him to No80 in the world rankings.
It is a long way from his all-time high of No5 but he is heading in the right direction again after the nightmare of thinking he had lost his PGA Tour card three weeks ago.
What with his clothing firm going out of business and ongoing issues with a foot injury, the problems were piling up but his Sawgrass revival has changed everything.
“It’s been a roller-coaster ride,” said Poulter. “A lot of interesting things have happened in the last 18 months that haven’t been very helpful for playing golf.
“We’re working through a few of them but when I look back and reflect on this week, it has been a big one.
“From two or three weeks ago, being in a position where I wasn’t playing the Players and potentially didn’t have a card, things change pretty quickly with good golf.
“It wasn’t looking like a great summer. I would have had to ask for invites and play certain events that I probably didn’t want to play when my family were in England. For that to turn around the way it has is pleasing.
“I’m a long way from being great but there is life in the old dog yet.”
He proved it with one of the shots of the season at the 72nd hole – a blind wonder wedge from the pine needles to within inches to secure a share of second place with Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa.
Poulter finished three shots behind South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, the event’s youngest champion at 21, to earn a cheque for £715,000 that should keep him in Ferraris for the foreseeable future.
He would not even have made the first tee had the PGA Tour not upheld American Brian Gay’s appeal over the unfair calculation of points for medical exemptions and restored the pair’s playing rights.
“It has obviously been the toughest stretch of my career but I can now plan a very long schedule,” said Poulter. “I’m going to have a nice summer with the kids in the UK. I think I’ll be playing a lot there.”
Poulter is not yet entered for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in a fortnight; nor is he qualified for the Open in July. He is, though, able to ink in appearances at the Irish Open, French Open and Scottish Open in the lead-up to Birkdale.
Europe’s Ryder Cup talisman is back but Poulter being Poulter, even the resurrection at the Players could not pass off without sparks flying.
After being accused on air by outspoken American TV analyst Brandel Chamblee of playing too conservatively in the final round rather than going all out for the win, Poulter jabbed back at the former journeyman pro.
“Sorry to disappoint, I can only dream of being as good as Brandel,” he tweeted. “It’s clearly very easy sitting on your backside... thanks for the support.” MATT Wallace’s first European Tour win at the Portugal Open earned the Londoner kudos but only £70,000 in prize money. In the real world, that is a decent sum but in golf ’s alternative universe it is peanuts for winning a top event. Paul Casey got more for his 22nd-place finish at the Players.