Ryder Cup 2014: Ian Poulter will take Stephen Gallacher under his wing, says David Howell
European talisman will intimidate Patrick Reed in morning fourballs
Thursday 25 September 2014 18:03, UK
David Howell feels Ian Poulter will be the perfect partner for Stephen Gallacher as the Scot makes his Ryder Cup bow in Friday morning’s fourballs at Gleneagles.
Poulter seemed primed to be paired with Justin Rose but European skipper Paul McGinley instead opted to split the Englishmen, with Poulter accompanying Gallacher and Rose joining Henrik Stenson.
Sky Sports pundit Howell was initially surprised to see European talisman Poulter not renew his tandem with Rose, given the pair have won four points out of five when they have played together.
But he now feels that the 38-year-old is the ideal figure to guide Gallacher in their fourballs encounter with American rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
“There were a couple of surprises,” Howell said while reflecting on McGinley’s pairings, which also see Rory McIlory play with Sergio Garcia and Thomas Bjorn partner Martin Kaymer.
“I thought Poulter and Rose would go together but there’s going to be a great atmosphere around Stephen and who rises the most to these occasions? It’s Poulter.
“He doesn’t come into this in great form but he just has ‘it’ and always delivers points. You wouldn’t bet against him hitting a great shot down the first, so Stephen is in safe hands.
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“Poulter will take control of things and say: ‘Just make contact with the ball’ in the way that Seve Ballesteros did with Jose Maria Olazabal all those years ago.
“The press talk about him being like Seve and I think as confident as Reed is as a player I think even he will be intimidated by Poulter in the Ryder Cup environment.”
Confident
Howell’s fellow Sky Sports pundit Butch Harmon, meanwhile, understands American captain Tom Watson’s decision to team Reed and Spieth and hand the third of his rookies, Jimmy Walker, a morning round.
And the golf coach is also eagerly anticipating the final fourballs match of the first session, which will pit World No1 McIlroy and World No 3 Garcia against Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.
“Captain Watson’s idea was to get to the rookies out in fourballs and under fire because they will feel more comfortable in that than they would in foursomes,” said Harmon.
“I think it’s better to go that way as you want them to play every ball.
“[Reed and Spieth] are two confident guys who make a lot of birdies so I think it’s a good pairing. It may have surprised some people but it didn’t surprise me.”
Harmon added: “I think McIlroy-Garcia is the best partnership on the European team - one I expected to see and one I expect to see for many years to come.
“They are up against possibly our best partnership in Mickelson and Bradley – they were wonderful at Medinah and delivered three points – and that is going to be a fantastic match.”
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