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Poulter looking to recapture putting prowess
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Poulter looking to recapture putting prowess

England's Ian Poulter hopes a new putter will bring a change of luck on the greens as it did for him five years ago.

Ian Poulter

The 37 year old opted for something similar at Royal Birkdale in 2008 and finished runner-up, four shots behind Padraig Harrington, who successfully defended his title.

Poulter has been trialling numerous putters in the last week - a process he has not had to undergo very often in his professional career.

But he has finally settled on one which he believes will give him a good chance of success at Muirfield in The 142nd Open Championship.

"Very infrequently. I think I've had two different putters in the bag in the last four years, maybe more," he said when asked how often he had changed tools for the putting surface.

"In 2008 I wasn't happy with my putter and I stood on the putting green and burned two big footprint marks in the green at Birkdale trying to get comfortable because for one reason or another putts weren't going in.

"It may be that is a visual thing of something you have got used to and you just want to look down at something fresh, then that is what it is.

"I've done exactly the same (this week). I've tried quite a few putters. I got lots sent from everyone.

"I've found something which I like the look of, which seems to be rolling quite nice and hopefully we can go one place better than in 2008.

"I feel good, albeit I need to shrug off a sore throat and a bit of a cold but I am feeling good about the course and my game."

Poulter had a decent start to the year with two top-ten finishes but has not finished better than 17th since February.

However, he denies by changing his putter he is trying to give himself a much-needed lift.

"I'm not looking to kickstart anything, I'm looking to win this tournament," he added.

"I am just focused on trying to play good golf on a course I played well on in 2002.

"I shot 69-69 the first two days so it suited my eye back then before we got blown off the course (when a storm rolled in on the Saturday) and hopefully it suits my eye this year."

In addition to tackling the thorny issue of his putter Poulter has also been turning his hand to some impromptu DIY as his temporary accommodation in Scotland this week.

While 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods relishes a very early start - he had to wait to begin practising ahead of the scheduled 7am opening time after arriving early yesterday - his Ryder Cup opponent has other ideas.

"I like getting up early, especially when the sun comes up at four in the morning here. It's hard to sleep in. It's light early," said the American.

Poulter, however, has devised a way to ensure he gets more of a lie-in, posting a picture on Twitter of his bedroom window covered in black bin bags, having been bothered by the early morning sunlight.

"I have blackout curtains at home and when you rent houses you are not quite sure what you are going to have," he said.

"I woke up at 5am yesterday morning to piercing sunlight through the curtains so some black bin bags came to the rescue and it is great.

"I can Sellotape bin bags around the window, I don't just hit golf balls."


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