Lee: Poulter an inspiration

Sky Sports golf pundit Rob Lee says Ian Poulter does not have the most natural talent in the world but is an inspiration to young players everywhere...

Ian Poulter has hit the headlines this week after being criticised by former PGA of America president Ted Bishop, but it has been a pretty quiet year for the Englishman in the main.

Ian has not won a tournament, didn’t really have the Ryder Cup he wanted, and seems to have struggled to piece everything together â€" though it was about this time last year he went on a bit of a tear.

Poulter performed extremely well in the European Tour’s Final Series in 2013, lifting himself up to second in the Race to Dubai behind Henrik Stenson, so perhaps autumn is his time and he will come out all guns blazing over the next few weeks.

Whatever happens, though, Ian is a man to be admired, as he has maxed out and made the most of every ounce of ability he has got; he may not have the most natural talent in the world but he has applied himself so well and better than players with more God-given ability.

Poulter has done things the hard way; he came through the pro shop and didn’t have massive financial backing or things handed to him on a silver spoon.

He wasn’t highly feted as a youngster because no one had a clue who he was, so he is a great inspiration to young kids, and proof that putting in the graft really pays off.

Element

Poulter is a very good putter and has the knack of pulling something out of the hat when he needs it most but if his ball-striking was a tad better and he could find a way of replicating Ryder Cup form in the big events, a very good career could have been a stellar career. 

Poulter must spend a lot of time trying to work out the latter and why he can turn it on in European colours at Valhalla, Celtic Manor or Medinah, yet never quite do the same on a regular basis at the Majors. 

Still, the Ryder Cup has been where Ian feels in his element â€" it’s where he thrives, it’s where he’s been amazing, it’s where he has produced miracles â€" and if he never wins a Major, I think he will reflect on those achievements and say to himself: ‘You ain’t done that bad, son’.

What Ian has also brought to the game is colour and flamboyance and if there were more Poulters around, golf would be all the better.

He is a little bit edgy when he’s out on the course, rubs some people up the wrong way and is just a great watch â€" a lot of modern players come across as dull but you can never accuse Poulter of that.

Shackles

I don’t think I did too badly tips-wise last week, meanwhile, as my pick at the Perth International, Lucas Bjerregaard, finished fourth, six shots behind an inspired Thorbjorn Olesen.

I saw Lucas playing at the start of the year and was really impressed with what I witnessed and then, after a slight lack of progress over recent months, he stood up when it mattered.

Some cracking form in Hong Kong maintained his European Tour card and now that the shackles are off I reckon some more good finishes are likely.

With Bjerregaard, Olesen, Henrik Stenson, Thomas Bjorn and Jonas Blixt and more around, we may not have to wait too long for the first Scandinavian winner of a men’s Major.

ROB’S SKY BET TIPS

 I am backing Jamie Donaldson at the BMW Masters. He looks strong and is playing superbly at the moment with a series of top-10 finishes and an impressive Ryder Cup. Over at the CIMB Classic, I am going for Jamie’s Gleneagles partner Lee Westwood, who loves the hot conditions in Asia.