Poulter: Major focus
I've always said to everybody that I believe I've got the game to win a major.
Ian Poulter
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Open runner-up Ian Poulter is hoping his best finish in a major can act as a springboard to future success on the world stage.
Poulter, who begins his first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, later on Thursday, finished four shots behind repeat champion Padraig Harrington at Royal Birkdale two weeks ago.
The Englishman said he gained an enormous boost in self-belief after staying in contention all the way down the back nine in the final round.
He said: "I'm 32, and I think the average age of major winners is about 32, so it's kind of a nice time to be feeling quite comfortable and to put a performance in and hopefully finding something which works.
"The mental process of being out there and playing seemed to work very well in the Open, and hopefully I can take that forward into majors coming up, and hopefully we can kick on in the big tournaments from now on."
Poulter believes this year's Open was a watershed tournament for him in that it was the first time he felt his actions had spoken louder than his words.
Refreshing
"I'm a confident person anyway and I've always believed in my own ability and I've always said to everybody that I believe I've got the game to win a major," he said.
"I've always known that deep down inside. But it hasn't ever come out, I guess. So I guess it's kind of nice to be able for it to almost come out, and that's nice.
"I kind of try to back up my words in some way with letting it happen on the golf course.
"And I guess when you play like that and when you put yourself into position and when you hole the putts at the right time and have a chance to win.
"That kind of reiterates what I have been saying in the past, and that's kind of refreshing to know that I can let it come out on the golf course.
"It's not all just words, and that's personally very satisfying."
