Luke Poulter has caddied for his father Ian in pro-am tournaments
For American golf, the surname “Poulter” undoubtedly evokes a sense of trepidation, given Ian’s pivotal role in numerous European triumphs.
Now, Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter’s 21-year-old son, Luke, aims to emulate his father’s success by thwarting US hopes of retaining the Walker Cup at Cypress Point in California this weekend.
Following a stellar performance in Great Britain & Ireland’s victory over Continental Europe in the St Andrews Trophy, Luke Poulter makes his debut in the 50th Walker Cup as GB&I seeks only their third away win in the competition’s history.
Who better to inspire an upset than the son of Ian Poulter, whose heroic efforts fueled Europe’s remarkable ‘Miracle at Medinah’ comeback in the 2012 Ryder Cup?
Ian Poulter will be present to support his son throughout the two-day competition, having shared a dinner with him and his nine teammates earlier in the week.
“Being able to talk to him about the Ryder Cup and his experiences, having the chance to ask him questions about what it means, how to play these events, and how to deal with the pressure has been so important,” stated Tyler Weaver, GB&I’s highest-ranked player.
Niall Shiels Donegan, another teammate who recently defeated Luke Poulter at the US Amateur Championship, added, “Dinner with Ian was really special.”
“Obviously, he’s achieved a great deal in team golf, and it was pretty cool to receive some insights from him.”
Luke Poulter, who secured three-and-a-half points out of four at the St Andrews Trophy, intends to draw motivation from his father’s Ryder Cup accomplishments, which include 15 wins from 25 matches between 2004 and 2021.
“He never played a Walker Cup, but he obviously has Ryder Cup knowledge, which is pretty similar to this,” said the younger Poulter, who achieved a hole-in-one at Cypress Point’s par-three third during Thursday practice.
“It’s amazing to see (his achievements). It gives me inspiration to try and follow in his footsteps.”
Having risen to 27th in the amateur world rankings, the University of Florida student has already displayed numerous golfing traits reminiscent of his father. Their shared “never say die” attitude is also evident.
“I just like that head-to-head battle because it’s just you and the opponent on the golf course,” he told the R&A website. “You don’t have to think about anything, you just go hole by hole and try and beat them.
“And then with the team stuff, it’s just really cool. I just love when everyone’s supporting you and everyone’s pulling for you.”
GB&I suffered a narrow defeat at St Andrews two years ago, and the Walker Cup returns to another iconic venue this weekend. Cypress Point was designed by Alister Mackenzie, the architect behind Augusta National, home of the Masters.
For Shiels Donegan, there is a sense of familiarity. The son of Scottish parents grew up near San Francisco and enjoyed strong local support during his US Amateur semi-final run at the city’s Olympic Club.
“I’m fortunate to have grown up not too far from here, a few hours north, so I hope that they’ll come out in force again and have some more fun,” he said.
“Having grown up on the poa greens, it does give me a little bit of extra feel, but of course they’re going to be running firm and fast for everyone.
“You’re going to have to adapt to the conditions as you see them, and yeah, just do your best that you can.”
GB&I’s most recent victory came at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2015, with their last away win at Sea Island in Georgia 24 years ago.
While the Americans are favored to retain the trophy, captain Nathan Smith is taking nothing for granted. “I think this is one of their best teams that I’ve seen in a while,” he said.
“I think the matches are always close, and it’s going to be a big test for us this week.”
Smith’s team boasts a wealth of talent, including the top six players in the amateur world rankings: Jackson Koivan, Ben James, Ethan Fang, Jase Summy, Preston Stout, and Tommy Morrison.
GB&I captain Dean Robertson has adopted a measured approach, carefully managing his players’ preparations. He will be encouraged by Scot Cameron Adam’s recent form, which included a top-20 finish at the British Masters.
Robertson recognizes that this weekend requires a collective effort and a well-considered game plan. “The key messages we’ve had have been strategy number one,” the Scottish skipper revealed.
“Approach play, short iron approach play, and specific distances where you need to position the ball under hole high have been things that we’ve been working on for a good number of weeks.
“Also, through developing the relationship and understanding of these players and the respect of them, we’ve really managed to bring them together, and there’s a real unity there.
“I’m really thrilled to be their captain, really proud, and I’m really excited for the match itself.”
There are 26 points at stake, with GB&I needing 13½ points to reclaim the title, while the US requires 13 points to retain it.
The contest will consist of four foursome matches each morning, followed by eight singles games on Saturday afternoon and 10 singles matches after lunch on Sunday.
Poulter’s son picked for Walker Cup team
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