Ryder Cup motivation strong for in-form Englishman
Wednesday 23 May 2018 14:33, UK
Ian Poulter hopes to continue his strong start to the year with a good performance in this week's BMW PGA Championship.
Poulter, 42, won the Houston Open in April, earning a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, and is seeking more success on home soil as he looks to earn a return to the European Ryder Cup team in France this autumn.
The Englishman has not got a great record at Wentworth, with a best finish of joint-10th in 2012, but he hopes a fresh approach to the course will pay dividends.
"I need to attack this golf course in a slightly different way," he said. "I think I need to be more aggressive all round, put myself on the board as early as I possibly can and enjoy the fact of being in the UK for the relatively short time that I do have here, to be able to go out and have some fun and play some good golf.
"I'm looking forward to the week. It's been a good start to 2018 for me, and it's kind of set up what's going to be a great summer, being able to come back, spend a good chunk of time in Europe is really nice.
"This golf course this week apparently is in the best condition it's ever been, so I'm looking forward to getting out there this afternoon and having a good look at it
"I think for me, it's a golf course I haven't had the results on through the years. It's been extremely disappointing from my side not being able to force a decent finish.
"So with the form I've got right now, I would like to think I'm coming in in the right frame of mind to be able to go out there and play well this week."
Poulter has made five Ryder Cup appearances but missed out last time at Hazeltine when he had to settle for a vice-captain's role.
But his fine start to the year - he tied for 11th in The Players Championship last time out - has lifted him to eighth in the world points list in the qualifying rankings and just outside an automatic spot.
"I've got quite a bit of motivation to make that team again," he added. "I think Paris will be a fantastic Ryder Cup. I think the venue's good. I think the team already is shaping up to be very strong.
"For me to have been vice-captain last time around, to enjoy that for what it was, was great from an experience standpoint, but there's nothing like playing.
"So for me, to put myself in a position to be close now, and to have a big push this summer to try and make sure I make that team, it would be great. I'm looking forward to the challenge."
