Ian Poulter has been pitted in the familiar role of Europe’s frontman for the opening day of the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM.
Captain Darren Clarke has entrusted Poulter and playing partner Bernd Wiesberger with delivering an early point for the away team when the Friday morning fourballs get underway at 8.35am at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club, in Kuala Lumpur.
Poulter boasts a formidable Ryder Cup record, having accrued 13 points from five appearances in the biennial contest, and the Englishman is again relishing his role as Europe’s go-to guy this week.
The reason why I like the match play format is because it’s the purest form of golf. Ian Poulter
He added: “You see your opponent right in the face and you can go out there and you can make a difference. You can hole a chip shot; you can hole a bunker shot; you can hole a long putt; you can turn a match around. In stroke play events, that doesn’t really happen, but in match play, it does. The second you hit that first tee shot, you want to get your opponent off the golf course as soon as possible. This format really excites me.”
“When you get a good group of guys together, ten guys last time, 12 this time; there’s something about being able to have other team-mates around to be able to talk to, to be able to laugh and joke with, and also to be able to gain a lot of experience. This EurAsia Cup is something that means a lot to both teams and it certainly means a lot to these European players.”
His compatriot Chris Wood believe the wealth of experience that the likes of Poulter and playing partner Lee Westwood bring to the European cause could prove crucial in their quest to win the EURASIA CUP for the first time.
He said: “We’ve got the experience of Ian, Lee, Ross [Fisher] and Victor [Dubuisson], who have all played Ryder Cup. They are there the in team room, and we can speak to them and pick their brains, and that’s why playing with Lee tomorrow is the perfect sort of pairing for me.
“He is probably the ideal partner for me in fourballs. To have somebody with that sort of experience, I can only learn from him. So I’m pleased Clarkey has put me out with Lee tomorrow.”
In contrast, Ross Fisher will assume the role of senior partner in his pairing with Kristoffer Broberg, the Swede who claimed his maiden European Tour title in last year’s BMW Masters.
Fisher made his Ryder Cup bow at the Celtic Manor Resort in 2010, and whilst he missed out on qualification in 2012 and 2014, he is determined to use this week as a platform to showcase his matchplay prowess.
He said: “Obviously The Ryder Cup is in everyone’s thoughts, and it’s great to have the Ryder Cup Captain here this week. I’ve experienced The Ryder Cup and experienced the Seve Trophy, and like Poults I just love the whole team environment.
“Once you’ve experienced one Ryder Cup, you don’t want to miss it. I’d like to be back on the team, but there are a lot of good players who are here, and a lot of good players who aren’t here, that are going to be fighting to be on that team.
“I need to go out and have a good week and then try to press on in upcoming tournaments and get myself back into the Majors. It’s in my own hands to play well and try and make Darren’s team.”
