FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- There was never much doubt that Ian Poulter would comply. It was moth-to-flame fare.
Or, with a slightly different spin, moth to fame.
As he rolled some putts on the practice green at Bethpage Black early in the week, a particularly strident and vocal fan -- which is a redundant term in these parts -- kept pleading with the colorful Brit to walk over to the gallery ropes.
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| Ian Poulter is showing up a lot as a leading man on the biggest stages in golf. (Getty Images) |
The guy had a camera at the ready, poised to pop a shot of himself and the gabby Englishman. Poulter, a notorious ham who enjoys mixing it up with fans as much as any player on the PGA Tour, predictably ambled over and posed for a photo, leaving the man swooning like a schoolgirl.
Poulter walked away with a wink and a nod, another victory and stepping stone in his plan for world conquest completed.
While most of the golfing world was watching Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and a the swamp formerly known as the Black Course over the first two days of the 109th U.S. Open, Poulter was up to his usual antics in the first round, playing through a Thursday monsoon and returning at dawn the next morning to finish off a steady, even-par 70.
By now, we should not be at all surprised. With the tournament being staged just a few miles from Broadway, of all the candidates poised for a major breakthrough, Poulter ranks atop the list of characters. He's been building toward a big finish for three years, and as far as the fans are concerned, he could easily be embraced as the flavor of the week if he gets in the mix.
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First, Poulter was off to the cinema to eyeball a raucous comedy called The Hangover, figuring it might be just the tonic for the tone of the week. "I've heard it's very funny, which would sum up the last two days," he said.
New York loves flash, panache and a dash of attitude. Ian James Poulter is the biggest hot dog to populate these parts since Reggie Jackson, and we mean that as a compliment. Paul Casey might have been the more prudent bet among the English contingent, given his three worldwide wins this year and ascent to No. 3 in the world rankings, but for those scratching a bit deeper than the surface, Poulter is poised to pop.
A couple of years ago, Poulter was more about style than substance. But beginning last year, when he finished second at the British Open and was the rock of the European Ryder Cup team, he has found another level at the biggest events in the game. All that's left is for him to finish one off.
"It's just really close," he said. "I can feel it. I guess I just have to keep riding that feeling.
"I'm trying not to find it frustrating, I am trying to find the positive side of it. I am playing well, I am moving up in the world rankings, and I see that as a plus and not a negative."
Outside of not winning more often, there aren't many of the latter, really. He has jumped to No. 17 in the world rankings and has already posted an impressive seven top 20 finishes on the U.S. tour this year. The mojo likely began building 11 months ago, at the British Open. His second was his best performance at a major, and then he finished second last month at the Players Championship, which features the steepest field in golf. He was a solid 20th at Augusta in between.
As a reminder to the locals, Poulter played in the penultimate group on Sunday at the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, only a few miles away. He made the cut in all four majors in 2007. For Poulter, whose wife just had their second child a few months ago, they've been baby steps, but the learning curve is steep at this altitude. He's right in his professional prime at age 33.
"I think I am a better player, I know myself more," he said. "Every round I learn something new. I definitely am more comfortable with every factor of life right now. I am very, very happy and we know what that can do on the golf course.
"I am being very patient, which very hard. I'm pretty fiery. I was born a redhead."
Poulter, an impulsive guy who is so hyper, he's caught up in the Twittering craze, has somehow learned to play decaffeinated golf at the majors, a definite job requirement this week.
"I am always learning, but I think I have played enough on the last 10 years to know what you need to do to try to get over the line," he said. "I learned a lot at the British last year about hanging about, I learned something at the Masters, just getting in position and getting to the back nine.
"It's just about being there, and the more times you get there, the more comfortable you are going to be. I feel comfortable in this atmosphere."
There's a reason the squirming and screaming has stopped. As if his performance at the recent majors wasn't uplifting enough, Poulter learned at the Ryder Cup that he handle whatever bombs are thrown his way. He was a controversial captain's pick, with some believing captain Nick Faldo had agreed to name him to the team weeks before the qualifying deadline, and was under extreme scrutiny all week. He finished 4-1, the best record on the European team.
"There was a lot learned that week, I think," he said. "In a funny kind of way it was really enjoyable to be under that much pressure. I don't know how, but it was.
"Taking all of that into account, and the British Open finish, golf is enjoyable. I can't play under any more pressure than that, and I played well. I don't feel under pressure out there on the golf course.
"I think you just need to have enough experience to where you have been bitten too many times to keep that same aggressive play on the golf course. You just need to do what's right. That might be 30 feet sometimes, taking two putts and getting out of there. I think it's more about taking advantage of the good chances you have.
"If you can do that, and be sensible with the rest of the course, you can play well out there."
Speaking of sensible, there's his fashion sense. Poulter has his own line of attire, which he trots out of the closet when he plays. This week, it has been rather subdued.
"You can't be too outrageous this week, can we?" he laughed. "I like keeping them on my side this week."
Live and learn. When Poulter showed up for the final round dressed in pink from head to toe, with his bag as a matching fashion accessory, the New York fans had a field day. Poulter loved it, tipping his cap to those who lobbed the best verbal volleys.
The winner might have been the guy who bellowed, "Hey, does your husband play golf?"
Make no mistake, Poulter loves the give and take with fans and he has a blistering sense of humor. If fans take a shot at him, they'd better be prepared to get an answer in return. He's exactly the type of player the fans could adopt.
"It's great, great, great," he said. "The crowds are electric. Obviously [the weather has] kept a few people away yesterday and a few more today, but it's still big galleries and they are good fun to play in front of."
Poulter has already heard "a few just cheeky things. They kind of hit me every time about my trousers. 'Hey, nice pants, great pants,'" Poulter said, doing a dead-ringer knockoff of the Long Island accent and sarcastic tone.
"I give them a bit back, which is good, and they just love it."
