Poulter

[neudi]

I know this is redundant, but Ian Poulter just said once he gets to his potential, he is the only one that can challenge Tiger Woods. Do you think he can challenge him, or if not who can at this moment if they play to their full potential?

[boothyuk123]

I have just read the article that Ian Poulter claims he is the only golfer to challenge Tiger in the near future.
Here is the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/7216949.stm

Ok, so I am from England but one thing I do not like is Ian Poulter and is crazy attitude towards golf. There is being confident and then there is just being arrogant which is what I believe Poulter is right now. He is a solid golfer, you don't get to number 22 in the world without being able to play the game but no way is he in the same league as Tiger and he never will be. Unfortunately, he has more interest in his fashion icon and image he is trying to portray whilst Mr Woods lets his golf do the talking - I know which I would rather be.

Sorry Ian, you have just started to dig yourself into a pretty big hole with such comments and I am sure your fellow professionals will not be all that impressed!

[neudi]

I don't disagree that he doesn't have a chance to beat Tiger, and maybe he needs to do this to pump himself up, but why does he need to make it public.

[boothyuk123]

Unless he proves himself to legitimately back up these comments he really is just going to be like a certain Rory Sabbatini last year!

[cbe_golfer]

Tiger is way ahead of everyone else at least for the next 10 years. People like Poulter would do well to just think that it was their good karma to have been in the reckoning at even one tournament with Tiger.
Mr.Pants might just be running his mouth off to please his sponsors.

[Bluenoser67]

Potential the guy is 32 and he's only had one top ten in one major in 18 attempts and that was a 9th. Never won on the PGA tour. Didnt win nothin in 2007. Yeah he's right there. Just goes to show you that they all have one thing in common. EGOS

[Eore]

i do like the way he dresses on the course though-lol

[sirshanksalot]

Isn't Tiger (19.55) ahead by Mickelson (8.53) in the player rankings be more than double the index amount??!!?? And Poulter is ranked #22 (at 3.24). Hmmm... if my calculation serves me right, that means that Tiger is about 6 times ahead of Poulter on the ranking scale. Aside from the intangible representation of numbers, Tiger is something the golf world has never seen. He's on pace to make history all by himself. There's a thin line between cockiness and confidence and it looks like Poulter just put himself at the forefront of looking (and sounding) like an ass.

[Big_M]

I can think of 20 people besides Tiger that might be pissed by this comment. It would be interesting to see one of these "others" whoop Ian's arse on a Sunday in one of the next few... or better yet the US Open he plans on winning.

[boothyuk123]

And I think I could probably think of about 20 other golfers out there that would legitimately be able to say that comment before Poulter but never would do because they have more respect for their fellow competitors. Poulter is not in the same class as Woods, not even in the same class as the likes of Els, Singh, Furyk and Mickelson.

[bca42]

I don't think he said anything wrong per se. Confidence is good. And each one of us knows how good we'd be if we reach our potential. I just wish more athletes would accomplish first, then talk about it.

[golf_junkie27]

Uhm, can someone point out the negativity, please?

1) He calls Tiger a 1 in 10 million golfer.
2) He says Tiger is extraordinary and twice the golfer that Phil Mickelson is, per ranking points.
3) He guarantees that Tiger will win the Masters.

The only thing that Poulter guarantees is that he's going to win the U.S. Open. He NEVER TOOK A SHOT AT TIGER.

He did not pull a Sabbatini or a Jason Day. He did not call out Tiger. He did not say that he was going to be the number 1, player. He said that when his game is on, it's going to be just him and Tiger. Not, I'm going to be be better than Tiger. HUGE DIFFERENCE.

[cbe_golfer]

Uhm, can someone point out the negativity, please?

Why does he not compete with Tiger on a Sunday, win something and then do the talking. Let's see if he makes the US open cut now.

[golf_junkie27]

Why does he not compete with Tiger on a Sunday, win something and then do the talking. Let's see if he makes the US open cut now.

Did you actually read the article? He does not call Woods out. He does not challenge him. He clearly states that when he's on and gets better, that it will only be him and Tiger. Is that possible? Don't know.

He goes on to pay Tiger numerous compliments, guarantees that Tiger will win the Masters. He also states, quite clearly, that he does not use a ranking system to judge a player's talent. If Adam Scott were to play 18 holes against Steve Stricker, who would you take? Most people would say "Adam Scott" yet Stricker is ranked 3rd. Are people disrespecting Steve Stricker by saying that? As for him competing with Tiger on a Sunday, maybe this will happen this weekend in Dubai. After all, Poulter spends a vast majority of his time playing on the European PGA Tour.

[Big_M]

Uhm, can someone point out the negativity, please?

I think you're missing part of the point... what he said is offensive to Ernie, Phil, Jim, Rory, Adam, Sergio, VJ, and a host of other players. Tiger isn't the only person on tour who deserves some respect. side note: I call total BS on his comment... I have NEVER seen him dominate a tournament... we all know Tiger has dominated many, but I've also seen Phil, VJ, and few others dominate a field when they fire on all cylinders... but NEVER Ian. And, yes... I know he admitted he hadn't yet... but these other players have more room to make such a comment than he does.

[cbe_golfer]

Did you actually read the article? He does not call Woods out. He does not challenge him. He clearly states that when he's on and gets better, that it will only be him and Tiger. Is that possible? Don't know.

He has not done it, he has no respect for the few who have actually competed with Tiger on a Sunday ( Ernie and Woody at Southern Hills, Phil even winning recently ). That shows how over the top he is about his own skills. He does not even realize where his league is.

[BritBoy]

... Ok, so I am from England but one thing I do not like is Ian Poulter and his crazy attitude towards golf.

Couldnt agree more. I hear so much crap on the course like "I thought the English wore pink shoes like Poulter" etc.

[golf_junkie27]

I think you're missing part of the point... what he said is offensive to Ernie, Phil, Jim, Rory, Adam, Sergio, VJ, and a host of other players. Tiger isn't the only person on tour who deserves some respect.

He's won one tournament. So, you, me and 95 percent of the golfing world have not seen him dominate, either.

Why is his comment offensive when he clearly states "The trouble is I don't rank players." Clearly, he's not paying any attention to the golfers ranked above him. Do I think he's a little off? Absolutely. I understand fully that it's a little nuts for a guy who has won one event to assume that when he gets better it will be just him and Tiger. That's not reality, that's faulty logic. Again, he was not calling Tiger out. That was my point. In fact, the article is "I'm Ian Poulter...wait until I get better...I'll be unstoppable." People will roll their eyes at that. Saying that he called out Tiger is just not true.