GOLF: WE'LL HIT BACK

IAN POULTER is convinced the bright young guns of English golf will fire back with a vengeance after failing to make an impact on this year's four Majors.

The USPGA Championship last weekend was a disaster zone for home- grown talent, with only Hemel Hempstead's America-based Luke Donald finishing in the top 25.

It is now four years since Scot Paul Lawrie won The Open at Carnoustie, and seven years since the last of Nick Faldo's six Major triumphs at the 1996 Masters.

But Poulter, who started brightly at Oak Hill only to drop into a tie for 61st place after an error-strewn final round of 79, believes an English breakthrough could be just around the corner.

"There is a lot of good young talent out there. I definitely think one of our guys will come good," said the 27-year-old from Milton Keynes.

"Yes, it has been another barren year for us at the Majors. There were four first-time winners - all from the other side of the Atlantic.

"But it hasn't been a bad year for us. I have won twice and, although Justin Rose is feeling the pressure after winning four times last year and not this time, just look at his performance in the US Open. To finish tied for fifth place was a top effort.

"Then there's Paul Casey. He's also won twice in Europe, and Luke Donald is making steady progress on the American Tour."

Poulter could not pinpoint a reason for the failure of the Europeans last weekend, but said the high scoring was no coincidence.

"The organisers decided what score they wanted to win, probably with just one or two players under par, and set up the course accordingly," he said.

"Although the rough was long at Royal St George's for The Open, it was wispy and it was often possible to fashion some sort of recovery shot.

"Oak Hill was the opposite end of the spectrum. The course was soft and the rough was long and very lush.

"You knew as soon as you missed the fairway you wouldn't have a shot. You had to try and punch a wedge 80 to 90 yards up the fairway, then rely on a good third shot to save par."

Unlike most of the USPGA field, Poulter's own problems did not stem from waywardness off the tee.

Since he packed a new Taylor Made 510 driver in his bag in May, he has won both the Wales and Nordic Opens and had two other top-10 finishes to take his season's earnings past the million-euro mark.

"I hit more fairways than most," he said. "What let me down was my putting and play on the par threes."

Poulter's goal over the next 12 months is to make the next European Ryder Cup team after missing out at The Belfry last year by one place.

But he is not going to pack his schedule with extra tournaments when the Ryder Cup qualifying table opens with the European Masters in Switzerland in two weeks' time.

"Last time I played 12 weeks on the trot trying to get into the team and it just wore me down. I know that if I keep playing as well as I have been, I'll make enough money to get into the team without having to go through that again.

"If I don't get the points early on, I won't go looking for extra events. It will mean I'm not playing well and won't deserve a place."

Copyright 2003 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.