ANOTHER TEN YEARS OF PLAYING
POULTER WOULD LOVE TO BE RYDER
CUP CAPTAIN .. BUT NOT JUST YET
By MANDEEP SANGHERA, BBC Sport
Ian Poulter says he would "love" to be Ryder Cup captain "one day".
The 38-year-old Englishman from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, is famed for his exploits in the
contest between Europe and the United States, especially when he
inspired a
win at Medinah
in 2012.
"Hopefully, I've got another 10 years in me before I ever get asked," Poulter, who will be 39 in January, told BBC Sport.
"If I was ever asked to be captain then yes, I'd love to be a captain of a Ryder Cup team."
Poulter was part of the Ryder Cup team who retained the trophy with
victory at Gleneagles
in September under captain Paul McGinley.
Darren Clarke is a strong favourite to take over from
McGinley for the next tournament in 2016 and Poulter believes the
Irishman would be a good choice.
"There are lots of people that could potentially be the
captain," said Poulter, who talks about his life and career in his new
autobiography No Limits.
"When you look at the next one being in Hazeltine in
America, it's very much looking like Darren Clarke will be running as a
strong favourite.
"He has got a great relationship with the players and he would be a very worthy captain."
Poulter has endured a difficult season in which he has
been hampered by injuries but says, with some new equipment, he is
targeting winning tournaments again in 2015.
"Personally, it's been disappointing up until the last
few weeks of the season," he said. "Battling with three injuries was
difficult to take as I have never had that many.
"To get those in succession spread out over the season
hindered my performance but at The Open I managed to start the rehab
process properly and the last month has been quite exciting.
"I've got new equipment in the bag and I'm very excited for what's coming in 2015."
Poulter has yet to win a major but did
finish second at The Open in 2008.
On winning a major, he said: "I've got it in me,
obviously I need to put it all together in four rounds of golf and I'm
ever working hard to achieve that.
"When you look at Tom Watson nearly winning the Open
championship at the age of 60 a few years back then I've got plenty of
years left in me yet to try and achieve that great goal."
Another goal for Poulter is an Olympic medal,
with golf back on the Games schedule for Rio 2016
having been absent since 1904.
"It's definitely a possibility (to compete in Brazil) if I stay fit and healthy and continue to improve," he said.
"If I play well in this next two-year period then
certainly I can go on and make the Olympics to try to compete for gold,
which would be pretty special."
There have been reports
Poulter does not get on with Tiger Woods
but the Englishman played down any conflict.
"There is no fractious relationship," he said. "There
were a couple of comments which potentially got taken out of context but
there is no personal problem between me and Tiger Woods.
"I get on with him fine. I don't socialise with him but
I don't think many other players do either. He is his own guy, he's
very quiet, keeps himself to himself but we don't have any issues."
Former world number one Woods, who has won 14 majors, has not played
since August because of injury.
"I'm not sure he (Woods) will get back to his best but his best is not required to win golf tournaments," Poulter added.
"Tiger at his best is that much better than everybody
else that he doesn't need his 100% 'A' game. He just needs that little
sparkle in his eye and he's a tough guy to beat.
"When he is back fit and healthy he is going to be winning many more tournaments."
Labels: RYDER CUP
posted by Colin | See story on its own page | Wednesday, November 26, 2014
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