Poulter: Only I Can Challenge Tiger

[Richard]

Hype, hype.

Nobody can truly challenge Tiger today, week in, week out. If they could then their tournament winning stats would reflect it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=reu-europeanpoulter&prov=reuters&type=lgns


Golf-Only I can challenge Tiger's supremacy, says Poulter

By Tony Jimenez
DUBAI, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The outspoken Ian Poulter caused a stir on the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic by saying he was the only player capable of challenging the supremacy of world number one.
"The trouble is I don't rate anyone else," the 32-year-old Briton was quoted as saying in the March edition of Golf World magazine.
"Don't get me wrong, I really respect every professional golfer, but I know I haven't played to my full potential and when that happens, it will be just me and Tiger."
Poulter is ranked 22nd in the world and has seven European Tour wins to his credit but failed to qualify for the 12-man team that beat United States in the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland.
The Englishman, asked by the magazine to predict the winner of the first major of the season at the U.S. Masters in April, replied: "Put Tiger down for that one".
For the year's second major at the U.S. Open, he said: "You can put me down for that one".
Poulter, pictured nude in the magazine with only a carefully-placed golf bag guarding his modesty, heaped praise on Woods who makes a rare foray to the European Tour for this week's Dubai event.
"Tiger is one in a million," he said. "Actually Tiger is one in 10 million.
"He is extraordinary. If you look at the rankings he is almost two and a half times better than the guy in second place (Phil Mickelson (http://sports.yahoo.com/pga/players/29/;_ylt=AuadYi6JNpl5DgI53c3HY7C8wrYF))."
Poulter, a member of Europe's victorious 2004 Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills, is known for his colourful dress sense and his strident opinions.
"I do speak my mind," he told the magazine. "I am pretty honest with what I say." (Editing by Alison Wildey)

Updated on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 7:24 am, EST

[Big Shooter]

...maybe if Ian and a group of friends took Tiger down a back alley....:rolleyes:

[Focker Singh]

I`m really surprised Poulter would make such a bold statement but he`s been known for speaking out. I dont mind any player making bold statements and predictions as long as they back it up with the results. I just havnt seen that from Poulter yet. Atleast he didnt go and put down Tiger or criticize his swing or capabilities. If Poulter makes it onto the European Team this year, I want to see him in singles match play vs Tiger. He may have to retract from his statements after that.

[Noremac]

Ian - Hi Rory!
Rory - Hi Ian, welcome to the club!

[Merlot]

Hype, hype.

Nobody can truly challenge Tiger today, week in, week out. If they could then their tournament winning stats would reflect it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=reu-europeanpoulter&prov=reuters&type=lgns


Golf-Only I can challenge Tiger's supremacy, says Poulter

By Tony Jimenez
DUBAI, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The outspoken Ian Poulter caused a stir on the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic by saying he was the only player capable of challenging the supremacy of world number one.
"The trouble is I don't rate anyone else," the 32-year-old Briton was quoted as saying in the March edition of Golf World magazine.
"Don't get me wrong, I really respect every professional golfer, but I know I haven't played to my full potential and when that happens, it will be just me and Tiger."
Poulter is ranked 22nd in the world and has seven European Tour wins to his credit but failed to qualify for the 12-man team that beat United States in the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland.
The Englishman, asked by the magazine to predict the winner of the first major of the season at the U.S. Masters in April, replied: "Put Tiger down for that one".
For the year's second major at the U.S. Open, he said: "You can put me down for that one".
Poulter, pictured nude in the magazine with only a carefully-placed golf bag guarding his modesty, heaped praise on Woods who makes a rare foray to the European Tour for this week's Dubai event.
"Tiger is one in a million," he said. "Actually Tiger is one in 10 million.
"He is extraordinary. If you look at the rankings he is almost two and a half times better than the guy in second place (Phil Mickelson (http://sports.yahoo.com/pga/players/29/;_ylt=AuadYi6JNpl5DgI53c3HY7C8wrYF))."
Poulter, a member of Europe's victorious 2004 Ryder Cup team at Oakland Hills, is known for his colourful dress sense and his strident opinions.
"I do speak my mind," he told the magazine. "I am pretty honest with what I say." (Editing by Alison Wildey)


Updated on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 7:24 am, EST


Hopefully, mor eplayers will begin to believe this and start doing it. It's the only chance they got. If you don't believe that then why bother.

[imAnewbie]

Ian - Hi Rory!
Rory - Hi Ian, welcome to the club!

hahaha:rofl:

[setter02]

Any one can challenge Tiger if he played more! But seeing as he is more interested in only Majors and big tournies and sits out everything else unless he gets like 500k+ appearence feel, it won't happen. Personally, I'd rather be like Dana Quigley and just play because you love to play and have fun, the money will just come. I'm sure that no one out there in the business world (sponsors) would be stupid enough to go against the marketing giant that is TW and Nike. More players need to think this way and be out spoken instead of cookie cutter images of college prep students, bring some color back to the game, Ian does that in what he wears, now in voice too, good for him.

[Bellyhungry]

The only people who should be offended are the rest of the professioanl golfers.

BTW, Poulter is -2 T-43, while Tiger is -8 leading the tourney after round one of the Dubai Classic 2008. So at least 41 people other than Tiger are better than him today.

[Golden Bear]

Is anyone else starting to think that guys like Poulter and Sabbatini are shooting their mouths off like this merely to get some press?

[abz-pete]

Once again, the Press have found a way to make a huge headline out of an ordinary story -

An irate and upset Ian Poulter said in Dubai today he was misquoted in a magazine article that suggested he believed he was the only player capable of challenging the supremacy of Tiger Woods.
Poulter, 32, said the article in the March edition of Golf World UK had left him "in an unfortunate situation with egg on my face."
"I was misquoted," Poulter told reporters after opening his Dubai Desert Classic campaign with a two-under-par 70. "It was taken out of context."
Poulter, ranked 22nd in the world with seven European Tour wins to his name, said the level of media reaction to the article had weighed heavily on his shoulders.
"I have had it on my mind since last night," he said. "You put the Internet on and it's THE [golf] story. The story is also I couldn't get my word [of reply] in before everyone else. I have to try and explain the situation of how it was actually said, as opposed to how it has been written."
In the magazine, Poulter was quoted as saying, "The trouble is I don't rate anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I really respect every professional golfer, but I know I haven't played to my full potential and when that happens, it will be just me and Tiger."
Poulter wanted to set the record straight today.
"The question was asked, where do I see myself and could I get to No. 1 in the world. My answer to that question was, 'As long as Tiger Woods is playing golf, I can't get to No. 1 in the world and nor can many other players. And quite frankly, if I do fulfill my potential, I do believe the gap between me and second is achievable, so therefore I do have a chance of getting second in the world if I work hard and fulfill my potential.'
"Therefore, the comment was, 'It would be a dream to sit back one day and look at the world rankings and see it say, Tiger Woods and then me.'
"Well, if you shorten that phrase down, 'Tiger Woods and then me,' you get what you've got in the paper today, or the magazine."
Poulter also said he did not mean to say he did not "rate" anyone else. "That also was answered not in a few words, but probably in a minute's quote in to say that Tiger Woods is so far ahead of everyone else, to look at everyone else you have to look at Tiger Woods.
"There are world-class golfers everywhere and I play against them week in and week out, and again that's been taken slightly the wrong way and it has been put on paper in a shortened version of how I explained it," he said. "It's very frustrating. What more can I say?
"It's a great shame, but if people do do that and the press want to do that, then you're left in an unfortunate situation with egg on your face and I think that's very sad."

[Big Shooter]

"It's a great shame, but if people do do that and the press want to do that, then you're left in an unfortunate situation with egg on your face and I think that's very sad."

Yup, it's gonna be fun in the locker room for you Mr. Poulter! :$

[Bellyhungry]

Mr. T has a write up on this topic in his blog....

http://www.ontgolf.ca/g4g/2008/02/01/poulter-on-tiger-i-was-misquoted/

[Just hit it]

Is anyone else starting to think that guys like Poulter and Sabbatini are shooting their mouths off like this merely to get some press?

you hit the nail square on the head. How many people were talking about Poulter 4 weeks ago? Good strategy same something semi-controversial and get a ton of free press.